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A      VIEW 

OF      THE 

LIFE,    TPtAVELS, 

AND 

PHILANTHROPIC    LABORS 

OF      THE      LATE 

JOHN  HOWARD, 

£j^CliiHHE,  L.  L.  D.  F.R.S. 


By    JOHN    A  IK  IN,    M.  D. 

Ill  Commune  auxilinm  uatiiSy  ac  publicum  bonuin, 
ex  quo  clubit  ciiijuc  partem  :  ttiam  ad  cnlaniitoJoSy 
pro  portione,  improbandos  et  emeiidandoi ,  bonitntem 
fuampermittet,  Seneca. 


PHILADELPHIA  J 
PRINTED  FOR  JcHNOrMROD,  B  Y  W.W.  WoODWARI)^ 

Jt  FrcMklin's  Head,  No.  41 ,  CJb'fntit-Jlr^iU 
J  7  94* 


INTRODUCTION. 


I 


'F  it  be  a  juft  obfervation,  that  every  man 
who  has  attained  uncommon  eminence  in 
his  particular  line  of  purfuit,  becomes  an  object 
worthy  of  the  public  notice,  how  forcibly  mud  fuch 
am^xim  apply  to  that  fpecies  of  excellence  which 
renders  a  man  the  greateft  benefaclor  to  his  fel- 
low-creatures,  and  the  nobleft  fubjecl  of  their  con- 
templation ?  Beneficence,  pure  in  its  intentions, 
wife  and  compreheniive  in  its  plans,  and  a6live 
and  fnccefsful  in  execution,  mufl  ever  ftand  at 
the  head  of  thofe  qualities  which  elevate  the  hu- 
man clparafter  ;  and  mankind  cannot  have  a  con- 
cern (o  important,  as  the  diffulion  of  fuch  a  fpi- 
rit,  by  means  of  the  moft  perfect  and  i-n]:>rcfriv'e 
examples,  in  which  it  has  aclually  been  difplayed. 

Among  thofe  truly  illuftrious  perfons  who,  in 
the  feveral  ages  and  nations  of  the  world,    li^v& 


28443' 


4  INTKODUCTION. 

marked  their  track  through  life  by  a  continuC-d 
courfe  oft^oing  good,  few  Jiave  been  fo  diftinguifh- 
e^,  either  by  the  extent  of  the  good  produced,  or 
the  purity  of  jnotive  and  energy  of  charafter 
exhibited  in  the  procefs  of  doing  it,  as  the  late 
Mr.  Howard.  To  have  adopted  the  caufe  of 
the  prifoner,  the  fick,  and  the  deftitute,  not  on- 
\y  in  his  own  country,  but  throughout  all  Eu- 
rope ;  to  have  confiderably  alleviated  the  bur- 
den of  prefent  niifery  among  thofe  unfortunate 
clalTes,  and  at  the  fame  time  to  have  provided  for 
the  reformation  of  the  vicious,  and  the  preven- 
tion of  future  crimes  and  calamities  ; — to  have 
been  inftrumental  in  the  adual  eftablifhment  of 
many  plans  of  humanity  and  utility,  and  to  have 
laid  the  foundation  for  much  more  improvement 
hereafter  ; — and  to  have  done  all  this  as  a  pri- 
vate unaided  individual,  ftruggling  vith  toils, 
dangers  and  difficulties,  which  might  have  appal- 
led the  moft  refolute  ;  is  furely  a  range  of  bene- 
ficence which  fcarcely  ever  before  came  within 
the  compafsofone  man's  exertions.  Juftly,  then, 
does  the  name  of  Howard  {[and  among  thofe  which 
confer  the  higheft  honor  on  the  Englifli  charac- 
ter ;  and,  fmce  his  actions  cannot  fail  to  tranfmit 
his  memory  with  glory  to  pofterity,  it  is  incum- 
bent on  his  countrymen  and  cotemporaries,  for 


INTRODUCTION.  5 

their  own  fakes,  to  tranfmit  correfponding  me- 
morials  of  their  veneration  and  gratitude. 

It  would,  indeed,  be  a  convincing  proof  of  the 
increafed  uood  fenfe  and  virtue  of  the  age,  if 
fuch  characters  as  this  were  found  to  rife  in  the 
comparative  fcale  of  fame  and  applaufe.  Long  e- 
nough  have  mankind  weakly  paid  their  admiration 
as  the  reward  of  pernicious  exertions, — of  talents, 
often  very  moderate  in  themfelves,  and  only  ren- 
dered confpicuous  by  the  blaze  of  mifchief  they 
have  kindled.  It  is  now  furely  time  that  men 
ihould  know  and  diftinguifh  their  bencfadlors 
from  their  foes  ;  and  that  the  nobleft  incitements 
to  action  fliould  be  given  to  thofe  actions  only 
which  are  directed  to  the  general  welfare.  • 

Since  the  lamented  death  of  this  excellent  per- 
fon,  there  have  not  been  wanting  refpedable  eu- 
logies of  his  character,  and  fuch  biographical  no- 
tices concerning  him,  as  might  in  fome  meafure 
gratify  that  public  curiofity  which  is  awakened 
by  evcryj*elebrated  name.  There  is  yet  want- 
ing, however,  what  I  confider  as  by  much  the 
moft  valuable  tribute  to  the  memory  of  every 
man  diftinguiihed  by  public  fervices  ;  I  mean  .1 
portraiture  of  him,  modelled  upon  thofe  circum- 
ftanccs  which  rendered  him  eminent  5  diipiaying 


6  INTRODUCTION. 

in  their  rife  and  progreCs  thofe  features  of  chd« 
racTter  which  fo  peculiiirly  fitted  him  for  the  part 
he  undertook,  the  origin  and  gradual  develope- 
menr  of  his  great  defigns,  and  all  the  fuccelTive 
fteps  by  which  they  were  brought  to  their  final 
ftate  of  maturity.  It  is  this  branch  of  bio^ra- 
phical  writing  that  alone  entitles  it  to  rank  high 
among  the  compofitions  relative  to  human  life 
and  manners.  Nature,  indeed,  has  implanted 
Jn  us  a  defire  of  becoming  acquainted  with  thofe 
circumftances  belonging  to  a  diftinguiihed  cha- 
raftcr  which  are  common  to  Iiim  and  the  mafs  of 
mankind  ;  and  it  is  therefore  right  that  fuch  a 
defire  fhould  in  fome  degree  be  gratified  :  but 
to  make  th^i  the  principal  objecl  of  attention, 
v;hich,  but  for  its  rlTcciation  with  fomewhat 
more  important,  would  not  at  all  deferve  no- 
tice, is  furely  to  reverfe  the  value  of  things,  and 
to  eftimate  the  mafs  by  the  cjuantity  of  its  alloy, 
rather  than  by  that  of  the  precious  metal. 

The  deftciency  which  I  have  flatcd  nelative  to 
Mr.  Ho'waf'dy  it  is  my  prefent  objeft^  as  far  as  I 
om  able,  to  fuppl>  ;  and  however  the  talk  in 
•fome  refpefl  may  be  beyond  my  powers,  yet  the 
advantage  I  enjoyed  of  a  long  and  confidenti-al 
intercourfe  with  him  during  the  puircation  of 
iis  worJvS,   r«nd  of  frequent  ccnverfaiion  v.itfe 


INTRODUCTION.  7 

khn  concerning  the  part  and  future  objecls  of  his 
enquiries,  together  with  the  communications 
with  which  I  have  been  favoured  by  lome  of 
his  mofl  intimate  friends, — will,  I  hope,  jufVify 
me  in  the  eye  of  the  public  for  taking  it  on  my- 
felf.  I  truft  I  liave  already  apper^red  not  infen- 
fible  to  his  exalted  merit,  nor  indifferent  to  his 
reputation- 

One  thing  more  I  think  it  nccefTary  to  fay 
concerning  this  attempt.    It  has  been  more  than 
once  fuggcfted  in  print,  but,  I  believe,  without 
any  foundation,  that  a  life  of  Mr.  Hoivard  n)ight 
be  expected  to  appear  under  the  (andion  and  au- 
thority of  his  family^  It  is  proper  for  me  to  avow, 
that  this  is  not  that  work.     The  undertaking  i? 
perfeclly  fpontaneouson  my  part,  withoutencou- 
rageiTient  from  hisrelat'ons  or  reprefentatives. 
Mr.  Howard  was  a  man  with  whom  every  one 
capable  of  feeling  the  excellence  and  dignity  of 
his  chara<5ler,  might    claim  kindred  ;    and   they 
were  the  ncarefl  to  him  whom  he  made  the  con- 
fidents and  depofitaries  of  his  defigus.. 


A      VIEW 

OF  THE 

LIFE,  TRAVELS ,  AND  PHILANTHROPIC 
LABORS 

OF     THE    LATE 

John  Howard,  Efq.  l.l.d.f.r.s. 


John  HOWARD  was  bom,  according 
to  the  beft  information  I  am  able  to  obtain, 
about  the  year  1727.  His  father  was  a'li  up- 
holflerer  and  carpet-warehoufe  man  in  Long- 
lane,  Smithfield,  who,  having  acquired  a  hand- 
fome  fortune  retired  from  huiinefs,  and  had  a 
houfe  firft  at  Enfield,  and  afterwards  at  Hack- 
ney. It  was,  I  believe,  at  the  former  of  thefe 
places  that  Mr.  Hoivard  was  born. 

As  Mr.  HQ'jjard^%  father  v/as  a  flrid  Protect- 
ant dilTenter,  it  was  natural  for  him  to  educate 
his  fon  under  a  preceptor  of  the  fajue  princir 


pies.  But  his  choice  for  this  purpofe  was  thcf 
fburce  of  a  lading  mibfortune,  which,  as  it  has 
been  too  frequent  an  occurrence,  defervesparticU" 
larnotice.  There  was  at  that  time  a  fchoohnafter 
at  fome  diftance  from  London,  who,  in  confe- 
quence  of  his  moral  and  religious  charadler,  had 
been,  intrufted  with  the  education  of  the  chil- 
dren of  moft  of  the  opulent  difienters  in  the  me- 
tropolis, though  extremely  deficient  in  the  qua- 
lifications requiiite  for  fuch  an  office*.  That 
perfons  whofe  own  education  and  habits  of  life 
have  rendered  them  very  inadequate  judges  of 
the  talents  necelTary  for  an  inftructor  of  youth, 
fhould  eafily  fall  into  this  error,  is  not  to  be  won- 
dered at  :  but  the  evil  is  a  real  one,  thouo^h  its 
caufe  be  excufeable  :  and,  as  frrtall  communities 
•with  ftrong  party  attachments  are  peculiarly  lia. 
ble  to  this  mifplaccd  confidence,  it  is  right  that 
they  (houldin  a  particular  manner  be  put  on  their 

*  I  find  it  afllrtcd  in  fome  memoirs  of  Mr.  Hori^- 
ardm  the  IJntvcrfal  JSlagazine ,^i\.\2kV  this  perfon  (whofe 
name  is  there  mentioned)  was  a  man  of  confidcrable 
learning,  and  author  ©f  a  tranllation  of  the  New 
Tefliment  and  ot  a  Latin  grammar.  Without  en- 
qu'ring  how  far  this  may  fet  afide  the  charge  ot  his 
be  ng  deticient  as  an  inftructor,  \  ihink  it  proper  to 
fay,  tliat  my  only  foundation  for  that  charge  is  Mr. 
<^vWx«ij"s  own  autliority. 


(  II  ) 

guard  agninft  it.     They  who  know  the  dlffen- 
ters,  will  acknowledge,   that  none  appear  more 
fenlible  of  the  importance  of  a  good  education, 
or  leis  fparing  in  their  endeavours  to  procure  it 
for  their  children  ;  nor,  upon  the  whole,  can  it 
be  faid  that  they   are    unfuccefsful  in  their  at- 
tempts.    Indeed,  the  very  confined  fyftem  of  in- 
ftruaion  adopted  in   the  public  fchools  of  this 
kingdom,  renders  it  no  difficult  taik  to  vie  with 
them  in  the  attainment  of  objeds  of  real  utility. 
But  if  it  be  made   a  leading  purpofe  to  train  up 
youth  in  a  certain  fet  of  opinions,   and  for  this 
end  it  be  thought,  elTentird  that  the  mafter  flioulJ 
be  exclufively  chofen  from  among  thofe  who  are 
the  moft  clofely  attached  to  them,   it  is  obvious 
that  a  fmall  community  mull  lie  under  great 
comparative  difadvantages. 

The  event  with  refpecT:  to  Mr.  Ho-djard,  was, 
(as  he  alTuredme,  with  greater  indignation  than 
I  have  heard  him  exprefs  upon  many  fubjeas), 
that,  after  a  continuance  of  feven  years  at  this 
fchool,  he  left  it,  not  fully  taught  any  one  thing. 
The  lofs  of  this  period  was  irreparable  ;  he  felt 
it  all  his  life  after,  and  it  was  but  too  obvious  to 
thofe  who  converfed  with  him.  From  this 
fchool  he  was  removed  to  Mr.  Eamcs'  acade- 
my  ;  but  his  continuance  there    muft,   I  con- 


(  '2  ) 

ceive,  have  been  of  ihort  duration  ;  and,  whate- 
ver might  be  his  acquilitions  in  that  place, 
he  certainly  did  not  fupply  the  deficiencies  of 
his  earlier  education.  As  fonie  of  the  accounts 
publifhed  concerning  him,  might  inculcate  the 
idea  that  he  had  attained  confiderable  proficien- 
cy in  letters,  I  feel  myfelf  obliged,  from  my  own 
knowledge,  to  aflert,  that  he  was  never  able  to 
fpeak  or  write  his  native  language  with  gram- 
matical correclnefs,  and  that  his  acquaintance 
with  other  languages  (the  French,  perhaps,  ex- 
cepted) was  flight  and  fuperficial.  In  eftimating 
the  powers*  of  his  mind,  it  rather  adds  to  the  ac- 
count, that  he  had  this  additional  difficulty  to 
combat  in  his  purfuit  of  the  great  objeds  of  his 
later  years.  • 

Mr.  Ho-ward^s  father  died  when  he  was 
young,  and  be^ijueathed  to  him  and  a  daughter, 
his  only  children,  confiderable  fortunes.  He  di- 
rected in  his  v/ill,  that  his  fun  fliould  not  come 
to  the  pofieffion  of  his  property  till  his  twenty- 
fifth  year. 

It  was,  probably,  in  confequence  of  thcfather^s 
direction  that  he  was  bound  apprentice  to  a 
wbolefale  grocer  in  the  city.  This  will  appear 
a  lingular  ilep  in  the  education  of  a  young  m?>- 


(     '3     ) 

of  fortune  ;  but,  at  that  period,  inuring  youtii 
to  habits  of  method  and  induflry,  and  giving 
them  a  prudent  regard  to  money,  with  a  know- 
Jedgc  of  the  modes  of  employing  it  to  advan- 
tage, were  by  many  confidered  as  the  mod  im- 
portant points  in  every  condition  of  life.  Mr- 
HoiViirJ  was  probably  indebted  to  this  part  of 
his  education  for  fome  of  that  fpirit  of  order, 
and  IwS^edgc  of  common  affairs,  which  he 
pofTefled  ;  but  he  did  not  in  this  lltuation  con- 
trncl  any  of  tliat  love  of  aggrandifement  which 
is  the  bafis  of  all  commercial  exertions  ;  and  fo 
irkfome  was  the  eiijployment  to  him,  that,  on 
coming  of  age,  he  bought  out  the  remainder  of 
his  time,  and  imniediately  fet  out  on  his  travels 
to  France  and  Italy. 

^On  his  return  he  mixed  with  the  wrrld,  and 
lived  in  the  ilyle  of  other  young  men  of  leifure 
and  fortune.  He  had  acquired  that  tafle  for 
the  arts  which  the  view  of^e  mofl  perfecl  ex- 
amples of  them  is  fitted  to  create;  and,  not- 
withftanJing  the  defects  of  his  education,  he 
was  not  without  an  attacliment  to  reading  and 
the  iludy  of  nature.  The  d.clicacy  of  his  con 
Ibtu/ion,  however,  induced  him  to  take  loJ^-. 
in^s  in  the  country,  where   for  fome  tiir.e  his 


C     M     ) 

health  \vas  the  principal  objed  of  his  attentior.. 
As  he  was  fuppofed  to  be  of  a  corifumptive  ha- 
bit, he  was  put  upon  a  rigorous  regimen  of 
diet,  which  laid  the  foundition  of  that  extraor- 
dinary abftemioufnefs  and  indifference  to  the 
gratifications  of  the  palate  which  ever  after  (o 
much  diftinguifiied  hitn^  It  is  probable  that, 
from  his  firll  appearance  in  a  flate  of  indepen» 
dence,  his  way  of  thinking  and  acting  was 
marked  by  a  certain  ilngularity.  Of  this,  one 
ofthemoft  remarkable  confequences  was  his 
•  firft  marriage  about  his  twenty-fifth  year.  As 
a  return  of  gratitude  to  Mrs.  Sarah  Lardsau 
(or  Loiifore J,  widow,  with  whom  he  lodged  at 
Stoke  Newington,  for  her  kind  attention  to 
him  during  his  invalid  ftate,  he  propofed  mar- 
riage to  her,  though  fhe  was  twice  his  age,  and 
extremely  fickly  ;  and,  notvvithflanding  her  re- 
monltrances  on  the  impropriety  of  fuch  an  uni- 
on, he  perllfted  in  his  defign,  and  it  took  place. 
She  is  reprcfented  as  a  fenlible,  worthy  wo- 
man  ;  and  on  her  death,  three  years  afterwards 
(during  which  interval  he  continued  at  New- 
ington),  Mr.  Ho^vard  was  fmcerely  afFed:ed 
with  his  lofs  ;  nor  did  he  ever  fail  to  mention 
her  wiih  refpecT:,  after  his  fentiments  of  things 
may  have  been  fuppofed,  from  greater  com- 
merce  with  the  world,  to  hive  undergone  a 
change. 


His  liberality  with  rerpe<n:  to  pecuniary  con- 
cerns was  early  difplayed  ;  an  J  at  no  time  of 
his  life  does  he  feem  to  have  confidered  money 
in  any  other  light  than  as  an  inflrunicnt  of  pro- 
curing happinefs  to-  himfelf  and  others^  The 
little  fortune  that  his  wife  poffefled  he  gave  to 
herdfter;  and  durincr  his  refidence  at  New- 
ington  he  befloved  much  in  charily,  and  made 
a  handfome  donation  to  the  diffenting  congre- 
gation there,  fur  the  purpole  of  providing  a 
dwelling-houfe  for  the  niinitlcr* 

His  attachment  to  religion  wiis  a  principle 
imbibed  from  his  earheft  years,  which  continu- 
ed fteady  and  uniform  through  life*  The  body 
©fChriftian^  to  whom  he  particularly  united 
himfelf  were  the  Independents,  and  his  fyftem 
of  belief  was  that  of  the  moderate  Calvinifts. 
But  though  he  feems  early  to  have  made  up  his 
mind  as  to  the  do<ftrines  he  thought  beft  found- 
ed, and  the  mode  of  worfliip  he  mod  approved, 
yet  rehgion  abflradedly  coniidered,  as  the  re- 
lation between  maa  and  his  Maker,  and  the 
grand  fupport  of  morality,  appears  to  have  been 
the  principal  objed  cf  his  regard.  He  was  lefs 
folicitous  about  modes  and  opinions,  than  the 
internal  fpirit  of  piety  and  devotion  ;  and  in 
his  eitimate   of  d liferent  religious  focieti^s,  the 


elrcii^nUances  to  v.-hich  he  principally  attended^ 
were  their  zeal  and  iinccrity.     As  it  is  the  na- 
ture of  feds  in   genera],   to  exhibit  more   ear- 
neflnefs  in  doclrlne,  and  flriclnefs  in  difcipline, 
than  the  eftablilhment  from  which  theydifiTent, 
ir  is  nor  to  be  wondered  at  that  aperfon  of  Mr* 
Hoivard^6  difpofition  fliould  regard  the   various 
denominauons  of  feclaries    with    predilection, 
and  attach  himfelf  to  their  moft  diftinguiflied 
n'lenibers.     In  Lcndon  he  feems  chiefly  to  have 
joined  the  Baptift  congregation  in  Wild-ftrcet, 
long  under  the  n:;iiiifl:ry  of  the  much-refpe(fted 
Dr.   Stennett.     His   connexions    were,  T  be- 
lieve, leaft  with  that  clafs   called  the  Rational 
DiHenters  ;  yet  he  probably  had  not   a   more 
intimate  friend  in  the  world  than  Dr.   Price, 
who  always  ranked  among  them.     It  was  his 
conftpnt   pradice  to  join  in  the  fervice  of  the 
eflabliihment  when  he  had  not  the  opportuni- 
ty of  attending  a   place  of  diflenting  worfhip; 
and  though  he  was  warmly  attached  to  the  in- 
tereftsof  the  party  he  cfpoufed,  yet  he  hqd  that 
true  fpirit  of  catholicifm,  which  led  him  to  ho- 
nour virtue  and   religion   wherever   he  found 
them,  and  to  regard  the  means  only  as   thejr 
T/ere  fubfervient  to  the  end* 

He  was  created  a  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Socie- 
ty on  May  23,  1756.     Thrs  honour  wts  not, 


(     17     ) 

I  prefume,  conferred  upon  him  in  confequence 
of  any  extraordinary  proficiency  in  fcience 
which  he  had  manifefted  ;  but  rather  in  con- 
formity to  the  laudable  praftice  of  that  fociety, 
of  attaching  gentlemen  ct  fortune  and  leilure  to 
the  interefts  of  knowledge,  by  incorporating 
them  into  their  botly.  Mr.  Ho-ji}ard  was  not 
unmindful  of  the  obligation  he  Liy  under  to 
contribute  fomething  lo  the  common  (lock  of 
information.  Three  fiiort  papers  of  his  are  pu- 
bliflied  in  the  Tranfa^i'tons^     Thefe  are,. 

la  Vol.  LIV.  On  the  Decree  of  Cold  bb- 

£5 

fervcd  at  Card  ngton  in  the  Winter  of  i  "j^sr^^ 
whenBird.^s  Thermometer  was  as  low  as  lo*. 

In  Vol.  LVIT.  On  the  Heat  of  the  Vv'aters 
ar  Bath,  containing  a  Table  of  the  Keat  of  the 
Waters  of  the  (HiFerent  Baths- 

In  Vol.  LXT.  On  the  Heat  of  the  Ground 
on  Mount  Vefuvius. 

This  liil  may  ferve  to  give  an  idea  of  the 
kind  and  degree  of  his  philofophical  refearch. 
Meteorological  obfervations  were  much  to  his 
tafte  ;  and  even  in  his  later  tours,  when  he  was 
occupied  by  very  different  objects,  he   never 

B2 


(     i8    ) 

travelled  without  fome  inftrnments  for  that 
purpofe.  I  have  heard  him  like  wife  mention 
fome  experiments  on  the  cffe6ls  of  the  union  of 
the  primary  colours  in  different  proportions,  in 
which  he  employed  himfelf   ^ith  fome  aflidui- 

After  the  death  of  his  wife,  in  the  year  1756, 
he  fetout  upon  another  tour,  intending  to  com- 
mence it  with  a  vifit  to  the  ruins  of  Lifbon. 
The  event  of  this  defign  will  be  hereafter  men- 
tioned. He  remained  abroad  a  few  months ; 
and,  on  his  return,  began  to  alter  the  houfe  on 
his  eftate  at  Cardington  near  Bedford,  where 
he  fettled.  In  jy^S  he  made  a  very  fuitablc 
alliance  with  Mifs  Henrietta  Lcedsj  eldcft 
daughter  of  Edward  Leeds,  Ei'q.  of  Croxton, 
Cambridgefliire,  lying's  ferjcant  ;  and  fiflcr  of 
the  prcfent  Edward  Leeds,  Efq.  a  Mafler  in 
Chancery,  and  of  Joftph  Leeds^  Efq.  of  Croy- 
don. Willi  this  lady,  who  pofTefled  in  an  emi- 
nent degree  all  the  mild  and  amiable  virtues 
proper  to  her  fex,  he  piffled,  as  I  1  ave  cften- 
heard  him  declare,  the  only  years  cf  true  cn.- 
joyment  which  he  h.id  known  in  hfe.  Soon  af- 
ter his  marriage  he  purchafcd  V/atcombe,  in 
the  Ncv;  For  eft,  Hamrriiire,   and  rcnicvcd  thl- 


(     '9    ) 

ther.  Concerning  his  way  of  life  in  this  plea- 
fant  retreat,  I  find  nothing  characteriftic  to  re- 
late, except  the  (late  of  perfe(ft  fecurity  and 
harmony  in  which  he  managed  to  live  in  the 
midil  o^  a  people,  againft  whom  his  prcdecefibr 
thought  it  ncceffary  to  employ  all  the  contri- 
vances of  engines  and  guns  in  order  to  preferve 
himfelf  from  their  hcitilities.  He  had,  indeed, 
none  o(  thofe  propenfuics  which  fo  frequently 
embroil  country  gentlemen  v\  iih  tjicir  neigh- 
bours, both  fmail  and  great.  He  was  no 
fportfman,  no  executor  of  tlic  game  laws,  and 
in  no  re(}:ctl  an  encroacher  on  the  rights  and 
advantage^  of  others.  In  polTeGing  him,  the 
poor  could  not  fail  foon  to  find  that  they  had 
acquirt:d  a  prote(ftor  and  benefactor  ;  and  I  am 
unwilling  to  believe  that  in  any  part  of  the 
world  thefe  relations  are  not  returned  with 
gratitude  and  attachment.  After  continuing 
at  Watcombe  three  or  four  years,  he  fold  the 
place,,  and  wei:t  br.ck  to  Cardingion,  which 
thsuLeforth  became  liis  fixed  i  cfidcnce* 

Mi?re  he  ftead'ily  purfucd  thofe  plans,  both 
with  refpcct  to  the  rejvulation  cf  his  perfunal 
?r.d  fanjily  concerns  and  to  the  promotion  of  the 
good  of  thoJe  arcnnd  him,  v.hithj:rinc;ple  and 
iuci  n:itlcn  led  him  to  approve^  TJiou^h  without 


(      20      > 

the  ambition  of  making  a  fpiendid  appearance^ 
he  had  a  tafte  for  elegant  neatnefs  in  his  habi- 
tation and  furniture.  His  fobriety  of  manners 
and  pecuharities  of  living  did  not  fit  him  for 
niucii  promifcuous  fociety;  yet  no  man  received 
Ills  fel eel  friends  with  more  true  hofpitality  ;. 
and  he  always  mainiained  an  intercourfe  with, 
feveral  of  the  firft  perfons  in  his  county,  who 
knew  and  refpeCled  his  worth.  Indeed,however 
uncomplying  he  might  be  with  the  freedoms 
and  irregularities  of  polite  life,  he  was  by  na 
means  negligent  of  its  received  forms  ;  and,, 
though  he  might  be  denominated  a  man  of 
fcruples  and  fingularities,  no  one  would  difpute 
his  claim  to  the  title  of  a  gentleman- 

But  the  terms  on  which  he  held  fociety  with, 
perfons  of  his  own.  condition,  are  of  much  lei's.' 
importance  in  the  view  I  mean  to  take  of  his 
charaaer,  than  the  methods  by  which  he  ren- 
dered himfelf  a  blelfing  to  the  indigent  and. 
friendlefs  in  a  fmali  circle,  before  he  extended 
his  benevolence  to  fo  wide  a  compafs.  It  feems 
to  have  been  the  capital  objeclof  his  ambition, 
that  the  poor  in  his  village  iliould  be  the  moft 
orderly  in  their  manners,  the  neatefl  in  their 
perfons  and   habitations,  and  polTeired  of  the 


(      2"       ) 

f^reatefl  fliare  of  tlie  comforts  of  life,  that  conld 
be  met  with  in  any  part  of  England.  And  as 
it  was  Ijis  dirpofition  ro  carry  every  thing  he 
undertook  to  the  greatefl  pitch  of  perfed^ion 
fo  he  fpared  no  pains  or  cxpence  to  effect  this 
purpofe.  He  began  by  building  a  number  of 
neat  cottages  on  his  eftatc,  annexing  to  each  a 
iittle  land  for  a  garden,  and  other  convenien- 
cies.  In  this  proje(5l,  vhich  njight  be  confi- 
dered  as  an  object  of  rafte  as  well  as  of  benevo- 
lence, he  had  the  full  concurrence  of  his  ex- 
cellent partner.  I  remember  his  relating, 
that  once,  having  fettled  his  accounts  at  the 
clofe  of  ayear,  and  found  a  balance  in  his  fa- 
vor, he  propofed  to  his  wife  to  make  ufe  of  it 
in  a  journey  to  London,  or  any  other  o-rati- 
fication  Hie  chofe.  *'  What  a  pretty  cottage 
U  would  bnild,"  was  her  anfwer  ;  and  the  mo- 
ney was  fo  employed.  Thefe  comfortable  ha- 
bitations he  peopled  with  the  moft  induftrious 
and  fober  tenants  he  could  find;  and  over  them 
he  exercifcd  the  fuperintendence  of  mafter  and 
father  combined.  He  was  careful  to  furnifli 
them  with  employment,  to  alTifi:  them  in  fick- 
nefs  and  diftrefs,  and  to  educate  their  children. 
In  order  to  preferve  their  morals,  he  made  it 
a  condition  that  they  fhould  regularly  attend 
their  feveral   places  of   worfhip,  and   abftain 


(■      ^^2:      ) 

fiom  public  houfcs,  and  from  fuch  amr.rtmcnts 
as  he  though:  pernicious;  ai.d  he  fecured  their 
compHance  with  his  rules  by  making  ihcm  te- 
nants at  uill. 

I  fhall  here  beg  leave  to  digrefs  a  little,  in- 
order  to  make  fome  general  obfervations  on 
the  different  methods  that  may  be  propofed  for 
bettering  the  condition  of  the  loweft  and  mod 
numerous  clafs  among  us.  In  the  ftate  in  which 
they  too  frequently  appear,  deprelTed  to  the 
cxtremefl  point  of  indigence,  unable  by  their 
utmoft  exertion:  to  obtain  more  than  the  bare 
neceffaries  of  exiftence,  debafed  by  the  total- 
want  of  inftrudion,  and  partaking  of  nothing 
that  can  dignify  the  human  charader,  it  is  no- 
wonder  that  a  benevolent  perfon  of  the  higher 
ranks  m  fociety  fhould  confider  them  as  crea- 
tures of  an  inferior  fpecies,  only  to  be  benefit- 
ed by  the  conftant  exercife  of  his  authority 
and  fuperintendence^  And  I  believe  the  fad 
to  be,  that,  from  the  operation  of  our  poor 
laws,  and  other  circumftances,  the  poor  in  this 
country  are  more  thoughtlefs,  improvident^ 
and  helplers,than  thofe  of  almoft  any  other  na^ 
tion.  Humanity  will,  therefore,  in  fuch  a  ftatc 
©f  things,  think  it  necelTary  to  alTume  the  entire 


(       23       ) 

nianao-ement  of  thofe  who  can  neither  think 
nor  ad  for  their  own  good  ;  and  will  direct  and 
over-rule  all  their  concerns,  juft  as  it  would 
thofe  of  children  and  idiots.  In  fnort,  it  will 
aim  at  fuch  a  kind  of  influence,  as  the  Jefuits 
of  Paraguay  eftablifhed,  (perhaps  with  the 
fame  benevolent  views)  over  the  iimple  na- 
tives. 

But  is  this  ftate  of  pupilage  to  be  perpetual  ? 
?ju\,  in  a  land  of  liberty  and  equal  laws,  is  the 
great  body  of  people  always  to  exift  in  a  con- 
d.tion  of  aclualfuhjeclion  to  and  dependence  on 
the  few?  Are  they  never  to  be  intruded  with 
their  own  happinefs,  but  always  to  look  up  for 
fuppoit  and  diredion  to  thofe  who  in  reality 
are  lefs  independent  than  thcmfeJves?  This 
is  an  idea  Vv^hich  a  liberal  mind  will  be  unwill- 
ing to  admit  ;  and  it  will  anxioufly  look  for- 
ward to  a  period,  in  which  nieannefs  of  condi- 
tion Ihall  not  necefiarily  imply  deb::fement  of 
nature  ;  but  thofe  of  every  rank  in  fociety, 
feeling  powers  within  themfelves  lo  fecure 
their  eflential  comforts,  ihall  rely  upon  their 
own  exertion.^;,  and  be  guided  by  thedi(5lates  of 
their  ovv-n  realbn.   That  this  is  not  an  imacjn- 

o 

^ry  ftate  of  things  the  general  ccndition  of  the 


(     24     ) 

loweft  clafTes  in  fome  countries,  and  even  in 
foire  parts  of  England  where  the  working  poor, 
at  the  fame  time  that  their  earnings  enable 
them  to  procure  the  comforts  of  life,  are  inur- 
ed to  habits  of  fobriety  and  frugality,  is  a  fuf- 
ficient  proof. 

There  are  few  counties  in  Enpland  which 
afford  lefs  employment  to  a  numerous  poor  than 
that  of  Bedford  ;  of  courfe,  wages  are  low, 
and  much  diftrefs  would  prevail,  w  ere  it  not 
for  the  humanity  of  the  gentlemen  who  refide 
upon  their  eflates.  Among  thefcMr.  Howard 
diftinguifhed  himfelf  by  a  peculiar  attention  to 
the  comfort  and  improvement  of  his  depend- 
ents ;  and  he  was  accordingly  held  by  them  in 
the  higheft  refpect  and  veneration.  I  may 
add,  that  he  poflelTed  their  love  ;  which  is 
not  always  the  cafe  with  thofe  who  render  ef- 
fential  fervices  to  the  people  of  that  clafs.  But 
he  treated  them  with  kindnefs,  as  well  as  be- 
neficence ;  and  he  particularly  avoided  every 
thing  ftern  or  imperious  iu  h's  manner  tov\ards 
them.  Whatever  there  might  appear  of  ft:ri«5l- 
nefs  in  the  difcipline  he  enforced,  it  had  only 
in  view  their  beft  interefts ;  and  if  under  his 
protection  they  could  pafs  a  tranquil  old  age 
'n  their  o-.vn  comfortable  cottages,  rather  than 


end  their  lives  in  a  work-houfe,  the  fubordina- 
tion  to  which  they  fubmltted  was  amply  com- 
pen fated.  It  is  certain  that  the  melioration  of 
manners  and  principles  which  lie  promoted, 
was  the  mofteiFeclual  means  of  eventually  ren- 
dering them  more  independent ;  and  I  have 
reafon  to  know,  that,  latterly  at  lead,  he  was 
?.s  well  affected  to  the  rights,  as  he  was  folici- 
tous  to     augment  the  comforts  of  the  poor. 

His  charities  were  not  confined  to  thofemore 
immediately    conneded     with     his   property ; 
they  took  in   the    whole  circle  of  neighbour- 
hood.    His  bounty  was  particularly  direded  to 
that  fundamental  point   in  improving  the  con- 
dition of  the  poor,    giving  them  a  iober    and 
nfeful  education.      From    early  life  he  attend- 
ed to  thisobjecc;   and  he  eilabliflied  fchoolsfor 
both  fexes,  conducted  upon    the  mofl  judicious 
plan.      The   girls    were   taught  reading,   and 
needle-work  in  a  plain  way  :   the  boys  reading, 
and  foms  of  them  writing,  and   tlie   rudiments 
of  arithmetic.     They  were  regularly  to  attend 
public  worfliipin  the  way  their  parents  approv- 
ed.    The  uu  mber  brought  up  in  thefe  fchools 
was  fluduating,  but  the  inffitutions  were  unin- 
terrupted.    In  every  other    wny    in   which   a 
man  thoroughly  difpofed  to  do  good  with   the 
means  Providence  has  bellowed  upon  him,  cau 
C 


C   26   ) 

cxercife  his    liberality,    Mr.    Howard     ftood 
among  the  foremoil.     He  was  not  only  a  fub- 
fcriber  to  various  public  fchemes  of  benevo- 
lence,  but  his  private  charities  were  largely 
difFufed,  and   remarkably    well    diredled.     It 
was,  indeed,  only  to  his  particular   confidents 
and  coadjutors  that  many  of  thefe  were   ever 
knawn  ;  but  they  render  him   the  mofh  ample 
teftim.ony  in  this  refpect.     His  very    intimate 
and  confidential  friend,    the  Rev.  Mr.    Tho- 
mas Smith  of  Bedford,  gives  me  the  following 
account  of  this  part  of  his  conduct,  at  a  time 
when  he  was  deeply  engaged  in    thofe  public 
exertions  which  might  be  fuppofed  to  interfere 
with  his  private  and  local  benefadions-    '*'  He 
flill  continued  to  devife   liberal  thino-s  for  his 
poor  neighbours  and  tenants;    and,  confider- 
ing  how  much  his  heart  and  time  were  engag- 
ed  in  his  great   and   comprehenfive  plans,  it 
was  furprifing  with  what  minutenefs  he  would 
fend  home  his  directions  about  his  private  do- 
nations.    His  fchools   were  continued   to  the 
laft.^'     It  isimpoifible  any  ftronger  proof  can 
be  given,   that  the   habit  of  doing  good  was 
wrought  into  his  very  nature,  than  that,  while 
his  public  actions   placed  him  without  a  rival 
fordeeds  of  philanthropy,  he  fliould  ft  ill  be  un- 
able  to  fatisfy  liis  benevolent   defires  withour 


(     V     ) 

liis  accuftomed  benefits  to  his  neighbours  and 
dependents. 

Another  early  feature    of    that    charader 
which    Mr.  Howard  afterwards  lb    coiifpicu- 
oufly  difplayed,  was  a  determined   refnlancc  of 
hijullice    and    opprellion.     No   one    could   be 
more  firmly  relied  on  as  the  proteclor  of  rigut 
and  innocence  againft  unfeeling  and  unprinci- 
pled power.     His  indignation  was   roufed  by 
any  attempts  to  encroach  or  domineer  ;  and  his 
fpirit  led  him,  without  hefitation,   to  cxpreis, 
both  in    words   and  actions,  his  fenfe  of  fuch 
conduct.      As  no  man  could  be    n:iore   perfedlly 
independent,    both  in  mind  and  fituation,  than 
himfelf,  he  made  that  ufe  of  his  advantage  which 
every  independent  man  ought  to  do  ; — he   adt- 
cd  as  principle  direded  him,    regardlefs  whom 
he  might  difuleafe  by  it  ;  he  ftrongly  marked 
his  tlifferentfenfations  with  refpecl  to  different 
chara(flers;  and  he  was   not   lefs  ftrenuous  in 
oppofing  pernicious  fchemes,   than  in  promot- 
ing beneficial  ones. 

"  The  love  of  order  and  regularity  likewife 
marked  the  early  as  well  as  the  later  periods 
of  his  life;  it  direcT:ed  his  own  domeftic  con- 
cerns equally  with  his  plans  for  the  benefit  of 


{     "-8     ) 

ethers.  liis  clifpolition  of  time  %vas  exadt  and 
methodical.  He  accurately  knew  the  ilate  of 
all  his  affairs  ;  and  the  hand  of  economy  re- 
gulated what  the  heart  of  generofity  dilpenf- 
ed.  -His  tafte  in  drefs^  furniture,  and  every 
thing  exterior,  was  turned  to  firnplicity  and 
neatnefs;  and  this  conformity  of  difpofitioa 
rendered  him  an  admirer  of  the  feci  of  Qua- 
kers, with  many  individuals  of  which  he  main- 
tained an  intimate  connection. 

In  com^mon  with  many  other  benevolent  and 
virtuous  characters,  he  had  a  fondnefs  for  gar- 
tiening,  and  the  cultivation  of  plants  both  ufe- 
ful  and  ornamental.  Indeed,  as  bis  own  diet 
was  almoft  entirely  of  the  vegetable  kind,  he 
liad  various  inducements  to  attend  to  this  pleal- 
jng  occupation.  That  mofl  valuable  root,  the 
potatoe,  was  a  great  favourite  v/ith  him  ;  and 
a  remarkably  productive  fpeciesof  it,  which  he 
recommended  to  public  notice,  was  diftinguifh^ 
cd  by  his  name.  His  garden  was  an  object  of 
euriolity,  both  for  the  elegant  manner  in 
-which  it  v/as  laid  out,  and  for  the  exce.leiice  of 
its  producftions;  and  in  his  various  travels  he 
frequently  brought  home,  and  diltributed 
among  his  friends,  the  feeds  of  curious  kinds  of 
cultivated  vegetables.  .     j 


(      29      ) 

In  this  manner  Mr.  Howard  pafled  the  tran- 
quil years  of  his  lettled  refidence  at  Cardlng- 
ton ;  happy  in  himfelf,  and  the  inftrument    of 
good  to  all  around   him.     But   this  itate    was 
not  long  to  continue.     His  domeftic  felicity  re- 
ceived a  fatal  wound  from  the  death  of  his  be- 
loved  wife,  in  the  year  1765,   foon   after  deli- 
very of  her  only  child.     It  is  unneceifary  to 
fay  how  a  heart  like  his  muft  have  felt  onfuch 
an  event.     They  who  have  been  witnefTes  of 
the   fenfibitity  with  which,  many  years  after- 
wards, he  recollected  it,  and    know  how   he 
honored  and  cberiihed  her  memory,  will    con- 
ceive his  fenfations  at  that  trying  period.     He 
was  thenceforth  attached  to  his  home  only  by 
the  duties  annexed  to  it ;  of  which  the  moft  in- 
terefting  was  the  education  of  his  infant  fon. 
This  was  an  office  which  ahuoft    immediately 
commenced  ;  for  according  to  his  ideas,  educati- 
on had  place  from  the  very  firfl:  dawn  of  the 
mental  faculties.     The  very  unfortunate  iiTue 
of  his  cares,  with  refpecT:  to  his  fon,  has  caufed 
a  charge  to  be  brought  againft  him  very  deeply 
auecling    his   paternal  character.     That    this 
charge  was  in  its  main  circumftance    faUe  and 
calumQious,  has,  I  truft,   been  proved,    to  the 
fatisfadion  of  the  public,  by  appeals  to  facts 
which  have  remained  uncontrovened.    I  i]  viU 
C2 


C   30   ) 

nor,  therefore,  go  over  again  the  ground  of 
this  con troverfy  ;  but  fliall  rather  follow  the 
proper  line  of  this  work,  by  briefly  difplaying 
Mr.  Howard's  ideas  on  education^  and  his  man- 
ner  of  executing  them. 

Regarding  children  as  creatures  poffefied  of 
ftrong  pafTions  and  defires,  v/ithout  reafon  and 
experience  to  controul  them,  he  thought  that 
nature  feemed,  as  it  were,  to  mark  them  out 
as  the  fubjecls  of  abfolute  authority  ;  and  that 
the  lirfl:  and  fundamental  principle  to  be  incuU 
cated  upon  them,  was  implicit  and  unlimited 
obedience.  This  cannot  be  elleded  by  any 
procefs  of  reafoning,  before  reafon  has  its 
commencement  ;  aiid  therefore  muft  be  the 
refult  of  coercion.  Now,  as  no  man  ever  more 
cfFe^lually  combined  the  leniterin  modo  with  the 
fortlierin  re,  the  coercion  he  praclifed  was  calm 
and  gentle,  but  at  the  fame  time  fteady  and 
refolute.  I  fhall  give  an  inftance  of  it  which  I 
had  from  himfelf.  His  child  one  day,  wanting 
fomethin(r  which  he  was  not  to  have,  fell  into 
a  fit  of  crying,  which  the  nurfe  could  not  pa- 
cify. Mr.  Howard  took  hKn  from  her,  and 
laid  him  quietly  in  his  lap,  till,  faiigued  with 
crying,  he  became  ftill.  This  procefs,  a  few 
tiyies  repeated^   had  fuch  an  effed;    that   the 


C    31    ) 

child,  if  crying  ever  fo  violently,  was  rendered 
quiet  the  inftant  his  father  took  him.      In  a    fi- 
iiiilar  manner,  without  harfli  words  and  threats, 
ilill  lefs  blows,    he   gained    every    other   point 
which    he     thought     necelTary  to    gain,    and 
brought  the  child  to  fuch  a  habit  of  obedience, 
that  I  have  heard  him  fay,  he  believed  his  Ion 
would  have  put  his  finger   into   the   lire  if  he 
had  commanded  him.     Certain  it  is,  that  many 
fathers  could  not,  if  they  approved  it,    execute 
a  plan  of  this  kind  ;  but  Mr.  Howard    in   this 
cafe  cnly  purfued  the  general  method  which  he 
took  to  effect  any  thing  which  a  thorough  con- 
viction of  its  propriety  induced   him   to  under- 
take.    It  is  abfurd,  therefore,  to  reprefenthim. 
as  wanting  that  milk  of  human  kindnefs  for  hi« 
only  ion,  with  which  he  abounded  for  the  reft 
cf  his  fellow-creatures;  for  he  airredat    what 
he  thought  the  good  of  both,  by  the  very  fame 
means;  and,   if  he    carried    the  point   further 
with  refped  to  his  fon,  it  was  only  becaufe  he 
was  more  interefted  in  his  welfare.     But  this 
courfe  of  difcipline,  v/hatever  be  thought  of  it, 
could  not  have  been  long  pradlifed,   fmce    the 
child  was  early  ferit  to  fchool,    and  the  father 
lived  very  little  at  home   afterwards.     As   to 
itsefFed  on  the  youth's  mind   (if  that,   and  not 
intention,  be  the   circumllance  on  which  Mr» 


(    32    ) 

Howard's  vindication  is  to  depend),  I  confider 
it  as  a  manifeft  impofTibility,  that  controuling 
the  child,  fhould  have  been  the  cauie  of  the 
young  man's  infanity.  If  any  fuch  remote 
caufe  could  be  fuppofed  capable  of  producing 
fuch  an  efFecl,  the  oppofite  extreme  of  indul- 
gence would  have  been  a  much  more  likely  one* 
But  I  think  it  highly  probable,  that  a  father, 
whofe  prefence  was  afTociated  with  the  per- 
ception of  rcftraint  and  refufal,  (liould  always 
have  infpired  more  awe  than  affection  ;  and 
fhould  never  have  created  that  filial  confidence, 
which  is  both  the  mofl  pleafing  and  moft  Valu- 
ta ry  of  the  fentimeuts  attending  that  relation. 
And  this  has  been  the  great  evil  of  that  rigor- 
ous mode  of  education,  once  fo  general,  and 
ftill  frequent,  among  perfons  of  a  particular 
perfuafion.  I  have  authority  to  fay,  that  Mr. 
Howard  v/as  at  length  fenfible  that  he  had  in 
fome  meafure  millaken  the  mode  of  forming  his 
fon  to  that  cliaraclerhe  wilhed  him  to  acquire  ; 
though,  with  rcfped  to  his  mental  derange- 
ment, I  know  that  he  imputed  no  blame  to 
himfelf  on  that  head.  With  what  parental 
forrow  he  was  affected  by  that  event  will  ap- 
pear in  the  progrefs  of  the  narration. 


(     33     ) 

II*Lving  now  given  i'uch  a  view  cf  the  tempcp 
and  manners  of  this  excellent  perfon,  in  his  pri- 
vate lituation,  as  may  ferve  to  introduce  him 
to  the  reader's  acquaintance  at  the  time  of  his 
affaming  a  public  character,  I  Ihall,  without 
further  cleluy,  proceed  to  trace  him  through 
thofe  years  of  his  life,  the  employment  of  v.  hica 
alone  has  rendered  him  an  object  of  the  curioll- 
ty  and  auniiratioii  of  his  countrymen. 

In  the  year  i  773,  Mr.  Howard  was  nonjinat- 
cd  High-<heriiFof  the  county  of  Bedford.  An 
obflacie,  however,  lay  in  the  way  cf  his  accept- 
ing that  office,  concerning  which  I  ihall  take 
the  liberty  of  making  a  few  remarks. 

When  a  principled  DifTenter,  whofe  condi- 
tion in  life  permits  him  to  afpire  to  the  honor 
of  fervMng  his  country  in  fome  poft  of  magiflra- 
cy,  reflects  on  his  fitiiation.  he  finds  that  he  mi^ll 
make  hisele(ftion  of  one  of  the  three  following 
determinations.  He  mufl  either  comply  with  a 
religious  rite  of  another  church,  merely  en  ac- 
count of  its  being  niade  the  condition  of  receiv- 
ing the  office  ;  or  take  upon  himfclf  the  oiHce 
"v^'ithout  fuch  coHiplianee,  under  all  the  hazard 
that  attends  it  ;  or  he  muft  quietly  (It  down  un- 
tler  that  vacation  from  public  charges    which 


(     34    ) 

the  Jdate,  in  its  Nvifdom,  has  impofed  upon  him, 
fatisfied  with  promoting  the  welfare  of  individu- 
als by  modes  not  interdicted  to  him.     It  would 
be  great  prefumption  in  me  to  decide  which  of 
thefe  determinations  is  moft  conformable  to  du- 
ty.     Infae%  there  is  only  a  choice  of  difficul- 
ties, and  the  decifion  between  them  muft  be  left 
to  every  man's  own  feelings,  which,  if  his  in- 
tentions be  good  and  honeft,  will  fcarcely  lead 
him  wrong.     But  it  was  perfeclly  fuitable  to 
Mr.  fioward*?  charadler  to  make  option  of  the 
office  with  the   hazard :    for   as,  on  the    one 
hand,  no  confideration  on  earth  could  have  in- 
duced him   to  violate  his  religious  principles  ; 
fo,  on   the  other,  his  active   difpofition,    and 
zeal  for  the  public  good,  ftrongly  impelled  him 
to  afTume   a  ftation,   in   which  thole    qualities 
might  have  free  fcope  for  exertion  ;  and  as  to 
perfonal hazard,  that  was  never  an  obftacle  in 
his  way.     There  may  be  cafuifts  who  will  con" 
demn  this  choice,  and  regard  it  as  a  ferious  of- 
fence againft  the  laws  of  his  country,  to  have 
taken  upon  him   an  office   without   complying 
with  its  preliminary  conditions.     But,  I  con- 
ceive,  the  fmcere    philanthropic   will  rather 
make  a  different  refledion,   and  feel  a  fhock  in 
thinking,  that,  had  ?/[r.  Howard  been  influen- 
ced by  thofe   apprehenfions  Nvhich  would  havg 


C    35    ) 

Operated  upon  mod  men,  he  would  have  been 
excluded  from  that  fituation,  which  gave  occa- 
fion  to  all  thofe  fervices  which  he  ri^ndsred  to 
humanity  in  his  own  country,  and  throughout 
Europe*- 

He entered  upon  his  office  with  the  refolu- 
tion  of  perforaiing  all  its  duiles  with  that  punc- 
tuality which  marked  his  conduct  in  every- 
thing he  undertook.  Of  thefe,  one  of  the  mofl 
important,  though  Icaft  agreeable,  is  the  in^ 
fpeclion  of  the  PRiSO^^s  within  its  jurifdiclion. 
But  this,  to  iiim,  was  not  only  an  acl  of  duty, 
it  interelted  him  as  a  material  concern  of  huma- 
nity. 


*  The  penalties  to  which  Mr,  Howard,  in  this  in^ 
/lance,  exliofed  himfdlf,  are  declared  in  the  following 
claiife  of  the  Teft  Ad,  which  cannot  too  often  be  placed 
before  th.'  eyes  of  Britons .  ' '  Et}ery  per f on  that  Jhall 
"  neglea  or  refuje  to  take  the  facrament  as  aforefaidy 
*'  and  yet,  after  fiich  neglefi  or  refufal,  Jliall  execute 
*'  any  of  the f aid  offices  or  employments^  and  being 
*'  they eupon  lawfully  con'vilied,  Hiall  be  di fabled  to 
**  fue,  or  life  any  action,  bill,  plauit  or  information, 
"  in  conrfe  of  law,  or  to  profecute  any  fiiit  in  any 
'■'  court  of  equity,  or  to  be  guardian  of  any  child, 
'*  or  executor   or   admiuiitrator  of  any  perfon,  or 


t     S-6     ) 

The  attention  of  Mr.  Howard  to  perfons 
^^  iick  and  in  prifon/'  is  by  himielf  dated  as  far 
back  as  the  year  1756,  when  he  was  induced  by 
afmgular,  but  what  I  fliould  call  a  fublime,  cu- 
riofity  to  vilit  Lifbon,  then  lying  in  the  recent 
ruins  of  its  terrible   earthquake.     The  packet 


*'  capable  of  any  legacy  or  d-eeJ  of  gift,  or  to  bear 
'*  any  otflce  ;  and  fiiall  forfeit  the  fum  of  five  hiin- 
*'  dred  pounds,  to  be  recovered  by  him  or  them 
**  that  fiiall  fue  for  the  fame." — In  th:;  ddbate  on  the 
repeal  cftliis  ad,  the  mover-,  with  much  elocfucncey  in- 
troduced the  "very  cafe  of  Mr.  Howard^  addfeeinedcon- 
fidenibly  to  imprefs  his  audience  by  the  fttppojitien  cf 
Juch  a  nianfi-fferiiig  its  penalties ,  in  confeqtience  cf 
an  i  1  formation  which  any  villain  might  lay  again]} 
him.  In  reply  it  ivas  fail,  that,  whatever  were  a 
fjiaji^s  intentions,  if  he  voluntarily  contravened  a  knviun 
lavj  cf  his  country,  it  ought  net  to  be  reckoned  a  hard- 
flip  that  he  incurred  the  penalties  by  zihich  it  was 
famiioned.  And  this  rtafoning  is  iindoiibttdly  juf,  as 
it  rtfpdts  the  interefl  of  an  individual  put  in  cojnpeti- 
tion  with  th^  feciirity  of  a  law.  But  furtly  it  is  a 
propir.  confideration  for  tkd  l-gifuature ,  zuhether  a 
law  he  grounded  on  thufe  principles  of  equity  and g^ene- 
ral  utility  which  can  jifify  the  impofition  of  fuch 
dreadful  penalties  for  the  breach  of  it,  ejpecially  when 
experience  lias  Jliewn,  tnat  tin  nio'l  confcientioiu  and 
wdi-irdeiiiionedperfons  are  mcji  liable  to  incur  them^ 


\n  which  he  failed  being   taken  by    a   rrench 
privarecr,  he,  with  the  red   of  the  crew,    was 
firft  expcfeJ  to  all  the  barbarities  exercifid  by 
thofeTicenfed  pirates,  who  polTcfs  the   right  of 
the  fword,  not  molified  by  the  feelings  of  gen- 
tlemen ;  and,  on  his  arrival  in  France,  he  for 
a  time  endured  fo:ne  of  the  hardlhips  of  a  pri- 
foner  of  w^r,  and  became  acquainted  with  all 
the  fu{rerinc:s   of  his  countrymen   in    the  fame 
(iruation.     Thefe,    on   his  return  to  England, 
he  took  care  to  mnkc  known  to  the  Commiihon- 
ers  of   Sick  and  Wounded  Seamen,  who  gave 
him  their  thanks  for  his   inf(;rmation,    and  ex- 
erred  themfelves  to  obtain  rcdref^:.      It  w  as  im- 
polible  that  i\)  fceli!v>  a  Icflon  of  the  calamities 
i;iiiicled  upon  the  unprotccled    clafTes  of  man- 
kind, by  fellow-creatures  *' drelfed    in    a  httlc 
brief  authority,''  fliould  fail  to  make  a  durable 
impreihon  on  fuch  a  mind  awvTr.  Howarrl's. 

It  war.  not,  however,  till  the  period  of  his 
ferving  the  otii^e  of  llierifF,  that  the  diitreifes  of 
thofe  confined  in  the  civil  prifons  of  his  own 
country  engaged  liis  particular  notice.  In  the 
ntrodiiftion  to  hh  State  of  the  Pri/o}is,  he  has 
ta  the  moil  unalTuming  (implicity,  related 
hegr:.dad  pro2;rcf3  of  his  enquiries  ;  snd  in 
D 


1 

Wl 


(     38     ) 

what  manner  he  was  led,  from  an  examination 
of  the  gaols  in  his  own  fmall  county,  to  an  inve- 
fligp.tion  of  all  the  circumflances  belonging  to 
this  branch  of  police  throughout  the  kingdom. 

The  firO:  thing  which  ftruck   him,    was   the 
enormous  injuftice  of  remanding  to  prifon  for 
the  payment  of  fees,   thofe   who  had  been  ac- 
quitted or   difcharged  without  trial.     As  the 
magiflrates  of  his  county,  i  hough  willing  to  re- 
**»,  drefs  this  grievance,  did    not   conceive  them- 
felves  pofl'efl'ed  of  the  pow  er  of  granting  a    re- 
medy, Mr.  How  ard  travelled  into  feme  cf  the 
neighbouring  counties  in  fcarch  of  a  precedent. 
In  this  fearch,  fcenes  of  calamity  and  injuftice 
ftill  opening  upon  him,  he   went  en,   and  paid 
vifits  to  mod  of  the  county  gaols    in  England. 
Some  peculiarly  deploj-able  objects    coming-  in 
his   view,   vvho  had  been    brought   from    the 
Bridewells,  he  was  induced    to   enter  upon  an 
examination  of   thefe    places  of  connnement  ; 
for  Vvliich  purpofe  he   travelled  again  into  the 
counties  he  had  before  fecn,    and   into  all  the 
reft,  vifitiag  H^ufes  of   CorredioUp   City  and 
Town  Gaols. 

He  had  carried  on  thefe    inquiries   with  [o 
much  aHiduitv,  ihat  lo  early  as  March    1774, 


(     39     ) 

he  was  defired  to  communl-.ate  his  inrcrmation 
to  the  Houfe  of  Commons,  and  received  their 
thanks.      As  he  was  then  little    known,    I  can- 
not nuich  wonder  that  lb  extr.iordin-iry  an  in- 
llnnce  of  pure  and  active  benevolence  was  not 
nniverfally  comprehended  even  by  thnt  patri* 
otic  body;  for  a  member  thought  fit  to  aflc  him 
''  at  whofe  expcnce  he  tra veiled  ?"  a  queftion 
which  Mr.    Howard     could     fcarcely    anfwer 
without  fome  indignant  emotion?.      Snon  after 
this  pubhc  tefiiirjony  given  to  the  exigence  of 
great  abui'es  and  ckfects  in  our  priforks,   a  very 
worthy  tnembcr,   ?.Ir.  Popbairj,   brought   into 
the  Houfetwo  h:]h,  one  *^  for  the  relief  of  ac- 
quitted prifoners  in  matter  of  fees'* — the  other 
''for  preO.Tving  the   health   c5>  prifoners.'^ — 
Thcfe  fahunry  acts  pafTed  d'jring  the  f.imc  CtT- 
fion,  and  made  a  commencement  of  thofe   re- 
forms v.'hich  have  fince  been  fo  much  extend- 
ed.    Mr.  Howard,  aware  of  the  great  tlefici- 
ency  of  tlie  mode  of  promulgating  laws  among 
us,  had  thefe  ads  printed  in   a   ilifferent  cha- 
racter, and  fent  to  every  keeper    of  a  county- 
gaol  in  England. 

In  this  year  he  was  induced,  by  the  urgent 
perfuafions  of  his  neighbours  and  friends  of  the 
town  of  Bedford,  to  (land   candidate,  in   con- 


ilO 


junction  v.'ith  Mr.  V/hitbreaJ,  rx?  ve-prcitui 
that  borough  in  parliament.  No  t\\  o  pcrions 
could  be  better  entitled  to  the  cfltem  of  a 
town  ;  and  ihey  were  very  warmly  fupported 
inaconteft,  which  however  terminated  in  tiie 
return  of  two  other  gentlemen.  Mr.  Whit- 
bread  and  Mr.  Howard  petitioned  the  Pcyfe 
againfl  the  return  ;  and  ihe  event  v/as,  that 
the  former,  and  one  of  the  fitting  members, 
Nvere  declared  duly  defied.  To  thofe  who  are 
acquainted  with  the  conftitution  of  that  bo. 
rough,  it  will  not  appear  extraordinary,  that 
a  perfon  poffefling  the  attachment  of  a  majority 
of  the  inhabitant  voters  fnould  lofe  his  election. 
This,  however,  was  a  moft  fortunate  circum- 
ftance  for  -the  public  ;  fmce,  if  Mr.  Howard 
had  obtained  a  fest  in  the  Houfe  of  Commons, 
his  plans  for  the  reformation  of  prifcns,  muft 
Iiave  been  brought  v.  ithin  a  narrow  compafs  ; 
and  the  collateral  inquiries,  which,  [o  greatly 
to  the  advantage  of  humanity,  he  afterwards 
adopted,  could  never  have  exilted. 

It  was  Mr.  Flov.^ard's  intention  tohavepub- 

.  lifhedhis.account   of  Englifli  Prifons  in  fpring 

1775  ;  but  as  he  was  fenfible,  that  to  point  out 

defers,  without  at  the  Hmie   time    fuggefting 

remedies,   would   be    of  little    advantage,  he 


C    41     ) 

thought  it  beft  to  exniijine  with  his  own  eyes, 
what  had  been  aiftually  pur  in  pracli^e  with  re- 
ipect  to  this  part  of  pojire,  in  fame  of  the  mofl: 
enhghtened  countries  on  the  continent.  Ac- 
cordingly, in  that  year  he  vifited  Frni:cc,  Flan- 
ders, HolLmd,  and  Germany  ;  and  in  1776  rc" 
peated  iiis  vifit  to  thofe  countries,  m:d  alio 
went  to  Switzerland.  In  the  intervals  ]:e 
made  a  journey  to  Scotland  and  Irelanti,  and 
revifited  the  county-gaols  and  many  others  In 
England. 

Thus  furnillied  with  a  ftcck  of  information 
greater  thin  had  ever  before  been  collected  on 
tills  fubjed  ;  and,  indeed,  probably  greater 
than  any  man  had,  in  the  fame  fpace  cf  tiine, 
ever  collecled  on  any  fubjecl  that  required  fi- 
milar  pains  ;  he  ofFercd  it  to  the  pr.blic  in  1777 
in  a  quarto  volume  of  near  iijoo  pages,  dedicat- 
ed to  the  Houfe  of  Cosimjons,  by  w-ay  of  grate- 
ful acknowledgment  for  the  honor  conferred 
on  him  by  tlieir  thanks,  and  for  the  attention 
they  h^d  beftowed  on  the  bufinefs.  Before  I 
proceed  to  give  an  .'iccount  of  this  work,  I  fliall 
jjuftobferve,  that  fo  zealous  was  Mr.  Howard 
to  diiTnfe  infor.nation,  and  Co  determined  to 
obviate  any  idea  that  he  meant    to   repay  his 

expences  by  the   profitable    trade    of    Book.- 

r>2 


(     42     ) 

making,  that,  befidcs  a  profufe  iinmilicence  in 
prcfenting  copies  to  all  the  principal  perlons 
in  the  kingdom,  and  all  his  particular  friends, 
he  infifted  on  hxing  the  price  of  the  volume  fo 
low,  that,  had  every  copy  been  fold,  he  would 
fiill  have  prefented  the  public  v/ith  all  the 
plates,  and  great  part  of  tlic  printing.  And 
this  practice  he  followed  in  all  his  fubfequent 
publications  ;  fo  that,  with  literal  propriet)^, 
he  may  be  faid  to  have  given  thera^  to  the 
world.  By  the  large  expences  of  his  journey, 
charities  and  publications,  he  has  made  himfclf 
even  a  greater  pecuniary  benefactor  to  mankind 
than  can  readily  be  paralleled  in  any  age  or 
Country,  his  proportioned  circumftances  confi- 
dered.  Yet  how  fmall  a  part  was  this  of  the 
facrifices  he  made  I 

He  chofe  the  prefs  cf  Mr.  Eyres  at  War- 
ringtpn,  induced  by  various  elegant  fpecimens 
which  had  iflued  from  it,  and  by  the  opporiu- 
nity  a  country  prefs  afforded^  of  having  the 
work  done  under  his  own  infpeiftion,  at  his 
0wn  time,  and  v/ith  all  the  minute  accuracy 
ef  correction  he  deterniir.ed  to  beflow  on  it. 
I  may  alfo  fay,  tliat  an  opinion  cf  the  advan- 
tage he  might  there  enjoy  of  fome  literary 
iiHillance  in    the  reviilon  and  irriproN-eriient  Qi 


i     43     ) 

his  papers,  wns  a  hrihcv  ir.otive.  To  this 
choice  I  V.  as  indebted  i or  that  intiiijate  per- 
ibnal  acquaintance  with  him,  which  I  Ihall 
ever  efte^m  one  of  the  inoft  honourable  cir- 
cumflances  of  my  hfe,  and  the  llvel)^  recol- 
Jecl'on  of  which  wij],  I  trufr,  never  quit  rnc 
while  memo  y  remains.  He  relided  in  War- 
rington during  tlie  wliole  time  of  printing, 
and  bis  attention  to  bufmers  was  n. oft  inJtfati- 
gable.  During  a  very  fevere  winter  he 
n)ade  it  hi.spradJceto  riic  at  uivee  or  four  in 
the"  morning,  for  tjie  purpofe  of  collating 
every  word  and  figure  of  his  daily  proof  flieet 
with  the  cri<T"rai. 

o 

As  I  thought  it  right  to  mention  Ur.  How- 
ards literary  dcfieiencies,  it  is  become  ne- 
cefTary  to  inform  the  public  of  the  n^.anner  in 
which  his  works  v^erc  coinpofed.  On  his  re-^ 
turn  from  his  tours  he  took  all  his  memoran- 
dum-books to  an  old  retired  fricr.d  of  his, 
who  afhftcd  iiim  in  methodizing  them,  and  co- 
pied out  the  wliole  matter  in  correct  language. 
They  v. ere  then  pur  into  the  hands  of  Dr- 
Pri*;e,  from  whom  they  underwent  a  revifi- 
on,  and  received  occalioiiajly  confiderablc 
alirrations.  What  Mr.  Howard  iiimfelf 
thought  of  the  advantages   they  derived  from 


(     44     ) 

his  alTiftance,  will  appesr  from  the  following 
pafTages  in  letters  to  Dr.  Price.  '^  I  anv 
*^  alhamed  to  tiiink  how  much  I  have  accumii- 
'^  lated  your  labors,  yet  I  glory  in  that  affift- 
"  ance  to  which  I  owe  fo  much  credit  in  the 
*'  world,  and,  under  Providence,  fr.cccfs  in 
*^  my  endeavours.'^  _ ~— '^  It  is  from  your 
'•'  kind  aid  and  afiiflance,  my  dear  friend, 
"  that  I  derive  {o  much  cf  my  charader  and 
*'  influence.  I  exult  in  declaring  it,  and 
•*  fl]a]l  carry  a  grateful  fenfe  of  it  to  the  laft 
*'  hour  of  my  exiftence.''— -With  his  paper? 
thus  corrected,  Mr.  Howard  came  to  the  prefs 
at  V/arrington  ;  and  fivPc  he  read  them  all  over 
carefully  with  me,  which  perufalw^as  repeated, 
fheetby  iheet,  as  they  vrere  printed.  As  new 
facts  r.ndobfervations  were  continuallyfuggefl'- 
ingthemfelves  to  his  mind,  heput  thematter  of 
them  upon  paper  as  they  occurred,  and  then 
requeued  me  to  clothe  them  in  fuch  cxprefii- 
ons  as  I  thought  proper.  On  thefe  occafions, 
fuch  vv'ns  his  diilidence,  that  I  found  it  diiii- 
cult  to  ;nakc  him  acquicfce  in  his  own  lan- 
guage when,  as  frequently  happened,  it  was 
unexceptionable.  Of  this  additional  matter, 
fome  w'ds  interwoven  v/ith  the  text,  but  the 
greater j^art  was  necelKirjly, thrown  into  notes, 
which  in  fomc  of  his  volumes^  are  nimis.- 
rous. 


the  Prl'lrs  iu  ErglanJ  ar.d  IVnlts  ;  wlih  prrli- 
mitiary  CiJuvai'yjTiSy  c:nd  an  Jc count  of  J'ome 
Fortign  PrijonS'  ,  It  begins  "with  a  general 
View  uf  Di'Irefs  in  Prifons,  ihcv.ir.g  in  vhat 
rcfpcc'ls  tliofe  of  Lngiand  are  deHcicnt  in  the 
ariicIcG  (jf  fooJ,  •.-.  atcr,  bcdJing,  snd  freiij  air  ; 
and  that  the  moruls  cf  the  prironers  are  to- 
tally neglected,  the  moA  criminal  and  aban- 
doned being  (nfFcred  to  corrnjn  the  yonnf,cr 
and  Icf:;  practiced.  Notice  is  alfb  t.ikcn  of 
the  gaol-fever,  a  di^e;^^e  \yLich  hi.s  in  a  pe^u- 
liar  iiianner  infeAed  the  prifons  of  this  conn- 
try,  aud  hr.s  ar  various  :ii>tes  fpre.id  its  rava- 
ges from  the  in  antong  our  conrts  of  judica- 
ture, our. fleets,  and  armies.  The  author's 
next  fection  is  en  Bad  Cuilon'.s  in  Prifons,  un- 
der which  he  takes  riOtice  of  the  den:  miu  of 
garnifh,  the  pennifrion  of  gaming,  the  ufe  of 
ircns,  the  pracTice  cf  varying  the  towns  where 
the  sfllzes  arc  held,  the  local  unfrcquency  cf 
gaol-delivery,  the  fees  iVdl  demanded  by  ckrks 
of  afiize  ar.d  ot  the  peace,  the  non-refidency 
of  gaolers,  the  crowding  of  gaols  with  the 
wives  and  children  of  prifoners,  and  the  cir- 
cuniftnnce  of  fonie  gaols  being  private  proper- 
ty. From  this,  and  the  foregoing  feet  on, 
everv  one  r.uifl  be  convinced  of  the   di-eadful 


(     46     } 

flate  of  OLir  police  in  this  importsnt  matter, 
and  the  abfolutc  neceflity  for  a  reformation. 
For  proof  that  the  complaints  here  made  in 
general  terms  are  not  unfounded  or  *exagge- 
rated,  he  properly  refers  to  the  fiibfequent 
account  of  particular  gaols,  where  they  are 
too  abundantly  vfrified.  lie  concludes  the 
fecond  feclion  with  an  enumeration  of  all  ihe 
prifoners  in  England  and  Wales,  under  their 
feveral  c'afle^  v/ho,  in  1776,  amounted  to 
4084,  a  number  much  lefs  than  feme  vague 
conjectures  had  ftated,  yet  fuffic'ently  great  to 
demand  the  ferious  attention  of  the  legifla- 
ture,  efpecially  when  it  is  confidcrcd  that 
every  man  in  prifon  maybe  reckoned  to  have 
two  dependents  on  him   tor  fupj^ort. 

Mr.  Kovv-ard's  tljird  feaion  offers  propof- 
ed  Improvements  in  the  StrucVure  cand  Ma- 
na<jenu-nt  of  Frifons.  He  begins  with  ob- 
fervations  on  the  prifon  itfelf,  with  refpecl  to 
itsfituaiion  and  plan,  the  latter  of  which  is 
illuftrated  by  an  engraving.  He  then  pro- 
ceeds  to  that  mod  eflential  topic,  the  reguli;ti- 
ons.  Thefe  he  confiders  under  the  fcvcral 
heads  of  gaoler,  chaplain,  furgeon,  fees, 
clecnlinefs,  food,  bedding,  rules  and  orders, 
and  infpettor.     Ke  much  infills   upon  the  ^^e- 


(     47     ) 

ceflity  of  abloiutely  taking  away  the  tap    from 
tlie  keepers  of  prifons,  the  pofrefTion  of    \\  hicli 
was  obvioufly  the  caufe  of    promoting   intem- 
perance and   riot,    from    the   intcreft    it   gave 
the  keeper  in   fuch   ii'regularities.      In    lieu  of 
this  fuurce  of  profit,  he  propofes    a   liberal  ad- 
dition  to  the  falaries  of   this   officer,   the    im- 
portance  and   refpectability    of  whoTe  employ 
lie  every    where   inculcates.     He   makes  a   Se- 
parate article    of   Bridewells,   the  original  pe. 
nitentiary-houfes  of   the    country,    and    plan- 
ned with  much  wifdom,  but  .which,   by   long 
nci^left  and  abufe,   were  become  rather  a  nui- 
fancc  than   an    advantage    to    the   police.      In 
many    cf  theiw,  thougli   the   perfons  confined 
were  fcntenced  to  hard  labour,  no  work  cf   any 
kind  was  done  ;  and  this  ftate  of  idlenefs,    w4th 
the  company  of  hardened  criminals,    proved  to 
be    a  mod  eiTeclual  method  of  conipleting    the 
corruption  of  young  and  petty    olFenders.    Va- 
rious   excellent   remarks    and    fuggtilions    arc 
given  in  the   whole  of  this  feclion,    which  con- 
tains  the     ground-work   of   all   improvement 
in  the  economy   of  prifons  and  houfes  of  cor- 
rcxlion. 

In  fecL.  IV.    Mr.  Howard  gives  an  account 
of- Foreign  Prifoiis  ;    not   of  all  he  had  feen,- 


(    -48     ) 

butof  fiich  only  as  afforded  matter  of  indruc- 
tion  ;  nor  in  tliefe  does  he  notice  the  frauds 
and  Jefc'fiS'  he  obferved^  for  he  fays,  '*  the 
''  redrefs  and  inveftigation  cf  foreign  Kbiifes 
'*  was  not  i^y  object. '^  The  countries  of 
which  the  priions  are  defer ibed  are  France, 
Switzerland,  Germ-any,'  Holland,  and  Flan- 
ders. In  the  firil,  the  fufpicions  pol'cy  which 
then  prevailed  would  have  rendered  it  very 
difficult  for  him  to  have  obtained  rxccfs  lo  the 
interior  part  of  the  prifons,  had  he  not  avail- 
ed himftlf  of  a  benevolent  rule,  which  per- 
mits any  perfon  to  didribute  ahiis  to  the  pri- 
foners  Vv'ith  his  own  hands.  A  fpirit  of  order 
and  preciiion,  tempered  v/ith  hunianity,  was 
obfervablc  in  the  condncl  of  this  department,  „ 
the  regulations  of  Vv'hich  were  fi::ed  by  a  very  I 
compreheiifive  and  jud.cious  code  contained  1 
in  an  arret  of  1717-  In  Switzerland,  the 
reparation  of  male  and  female  prifoners,  the 
foiitary  conftiieiiient  of  felons,  zud  the  em- 
pioyment  cf  thofe  calkiJ  galley-flaves,  are 
circumitances  deferving  notice.  The  Ger- 
man prifoni:  are  regulated  in  a  fimilar  man- 
ner ;  and  the  houfes  of  correc^iion  at  Man- 
h^iin,  riamburgh,  and  Bremen,  afford  ufeful 
examples  of  order  and  indullry.  But  it  is  in 
ilollandthat  ti]^  pjrpofe    of  reforming  crimi. 


(     49     ) 

Tialsby  a  courfe  of  tlifcipHne  is  carried  into  execu- 
tion with  moft  care  and  cffecl:.   Few  debtors  and 
few  atr^'cii  us  offenders  rre  to  be  found  there  ; 
and  the  rafp  and  rpin-houfes  contain  the  great  bo- 
dyofprifoners.  The  regulations  of  tbefe  are  gi- 
ven in  detail,  and  the  different  employments  of 
the  prifoners  in  different  towns  are   particular- 
ly noted.     Holland    appears  to  be   IV^'.  How- 
aril's  great    fchool,  to  v.hich  we  flmll  fee   that 
lie    was  never  wearied    in   returning.        The 
Auftrim  Netherlands  olier  fome  of  the  largcft 
eftubliihments   of  the   penitentiary  kind,    ani 
prove  the  poilibiliry  of  managing  a  great  num- 
ber of  criminals  fo  as  to  make  them    ufcfnl   to 
ths  date,  and  decent  in   the:r  behaviour,  by 
the  aid    of  Head/  difcipline  and  feparaie   con- 
firicmeiit   at  night.     Ivlr.  Howard  faw,    what 
I  fuppofe  was  then  ccemed  a-ii   iinpolfibility  in 
England,  in  the  houfe  of  corredion    at  Ghent, 
near    190    ftout    criminals  governed    with    as 
ranch  apparent    eafe   as    ths    moft    fober   and 
wcll-JTpofed    afTembly   in   civil    focicty.      The 
regulations  of  this  prifon    are  dcfcrvedly   give;i 
at  fome  length.     Mr.  Howard    concludes    this 
fection  with    a   forcible    and  manly  sppeal    to 
his  countrymen  with  rel^Decl   to  the  compariroii 
he  was  obliged  to  exhibt  between  foreign  and 
KngU.'h  pjlice  in  this  point,  fo  unfavourable  ro 


{    5°    ) 

the  latter;  calling  upon  his  reader  to  judge, 
from  the  fads  laid  before  him,  '^  whether  a 
defign  of  reforming  our  prifons  be  merely  vi- 
fionary ;  and  whether  idlenefs,  debauchery, 
difeafe,  and  famine,  be  the  niscelTary  attend- 
ants of  a  prifon,  or  only  conneded  with  it  in 
our  ideas,  for  want  of  a  more  perfe<fc  know- 
ledge and  more  enlarged  views.'' 

Sedion  V.  takes  up  the  greateft  part  of  the 
book.     It  contains  a  particular  account  of  En- 
glifli  prifons,    arranged    according   to  the  cir- 
cuits,   and  comprifmg   every  county  in  Eng- 
land and  Wales.     The  mode    adopted   is  very 
well   contrived  for  the   eafy    confultation  of 
magiftrates  and  other  perfons  concerned.  Eve- 
ry  principal   prifcn    in    London,     and   every 
county  and  city  gaol,  has  the  leading  facls  ref- 
pecling  it  difpofed  in   a  fliort  table  under  the 
four  heads  of  gaoler,  prifoners,   chaplain,  and 
furgeon.     A  brief  defcription  follov/s  of   fitua- 
tion,  plan,   meafurements,  &c.  with  fuch  re- 
Jiiarks,    either  of  approbation  or  cenfure,  as 
the   circumftances  fuggefted.     Lifts  are  given 
of  legacies  and  benefaflions  ;  and  all  tables  of 
fees,  and  rules  and  orders,  are  copied  verbatim* 
Next  to  thefe,  are  concife  accounts  of  all   the 
county  Bridewells,   arid  the   town  gaols    and 


f 


(    5t     ) 

Bridewells,  wlrh  occafio'ial  rerarl^G.  The 
work  is  clofed  by  ibnie  tables  relative  to 
fees  ar.d  numbers,  cr^.^es  and  punilbments  of 
criminals.  A  fnort  concluti^.n  terniinates  the 
whole,  in  which  the  author  apologizes  for  the 
languaoe  of  cenfure'he  h^s  fo  o^en  been  com- 
peircdToufe,  enumerates  the  Uading  objects 
requiring  reform,  and  proniifcs,  that  if  fuch 
a  thorough  parliamentary  enyiiry  into  this 
great  obje-.l:,  as  alone  can  prove  eireclual  to 
put  It  upon  a  proper  footing,  fhould  be  un- 
dertaken, he  would  devote  his  time  to  a  mori 
extenfive  foreign  journey,  for  the  fake  of  ob- 
taining new  information  to  lay  before  the  pub- 
lic. 

I  cannat  difmifs  the  account  of  Mr.  Ho\t- 
ard's  firft  and  great  work^  without  a  few  re- 
fleiftions,  to  which  the  contcmpUtion  of  it 
gives  rife.  And  firft,  we  may  derive  from  it 
a  clear  idea  of  the  capital  objeiSts  which  the 
author  had  at  heart  refpecling  prifoners 
Thefe  were,  to  alleviate  their  miferies,  and 
correct  their  vices.  As  to  the  former  purpofe, 
he  confidered  that  men,  partaking  a  common 
nature^  have  certain  claims  upon  their  fellow- 
creatures  which  nothing  can  entirely  abro- 
gate : — that  even  the  higheft  degree  of  crimi- 


{    52    ) 

nallty  does  nat  abfolutely  exclurJe  compallioH 
towards  the  perpetrators  of  criiues,    elpecially 
when  fuiferiivj  under   their  cfFeds  ; — thnt    as 
no  man  paiTes  through  life  without  fome  de- 
viation   from  ftricl  rectitude,  fo  none  has  lived 
without  the  performance  <W^  foinc  good  adions 
-i*and  that,  although  hunlan    hiws  inuft  draw 
a  line  between   inch  circumftances  of  conduce 
as  do,  or  do  not,  come  witliih  their  cognizance, 
yet  there  is  a  tribunal    before  wliich    all  man- 
kind niuPi:  appear    as -culprits,  cnly  diilinguidi- 
ed. by  the  degree  of  delinquency.     lie    further 
confidered,  that  among  the   inmates   of  a  pri- 
fon  there  is  every  polfible  degree  cf  moral    de. 
merit,  from   the   mere  inconfiderate    violation 
of  lome  hard,  ill-underllood,    local  law,    to  the 
deliberate  breach   cf  the  moft  facred  and   uni- 
vcrfal  rule  of  action;   and  that  a  great    number 
sre.  in  the  eye  of  the  law,  innocent  pcrfons, 
only  under  a  temporary    fbate  of  confinement, 
till     their     condu5l    is  properly     inveftigated. 
From  tJufe  difFcTent  views  of  the   fubjecl,  he 
convinced   hirafelf,    tha^  it   was  the   duty   of 
every    fociety    to    pay    due  attention    to    the 
health,  and,  in  fome  degree,  even  to  the  com* 
forts,   of  all  who  are  held  in  a  (late   of  confine- 
ment; — that  wanton    and   unnecelTary    rigour 
Hiould  be  pradifed  upon  none  ; — and  that  fonnc 


(    53    ) 

were  entitled  to  all  the  indulgencies  compati- 
ble with  their  condition.  It  was,  however,  by- 
no  means  his  wifh  (as  fome  chofc  to  reprefent 
it)  to  render  a  prifon  fo  comfortable  an  abode, 
that  the  loweft  order  of  fociety  might  find 
their  condition  even  bettered  by  admiffion  in- 
to it.  On  the  (jontrary,  the  fyftem  of  difci- 
pline  which  he  defired  to  eftablifh,  was  fuch 
as  would  appear  extremely  grievous  to  thofe 
of  an  idle  and  licentious  difpofition.  For, 
whenever  imprifonment  was  made  the  punifli- 
meht  of  a  crime,  his  idea  of  reformation  be- 
came a  leading  principle  in  the  regulation  of 
prifons ;  and  it  was  that  which  coffc  him  the 
chief  labour  in  coUecling  and  applying  fatfls. 
To  accomplifli  this  end,  he  fliewed  that  thefe 
things  were  eflential  ; — ftricl  and  confliint  fu- 
pcrintendence — clofe  and  regular  employment 
— religious  inftrudion — rewards  for  induilry 
and  good  behaviour,  and  penalties  for  (loth 
and  audacioufnefs — diftribution  intoclalTes  and 
divifions  according  to  age,  fex,  delinquency, 
,^c. — and  occafional  and  noclurnal  folitude- 
In  laying  down  thefe  regulations,  lie  njight  be 
thought  to  have  given  way  to  a  certain  aufte- 
rity,  Vvcre  it  net  fo  tempered  by  attention  to 
the  real  demands  of  human  nature,  and  fane- 
tificd  by  a  regard  to  the  befl  intercds  of  cf« 
E  3 


C     54    ) 

fenders  themfelves,  that   the  frIenJ  of  maii- 
isind  was  ever  apparent,  even  in  the  Icricl  dif- 
ciplinarian.     He  extremely  lamented   that  the 
plan  of  reformation  feemed,  of  all  parts  of  his 
fyflem  of  improvement,  leaft  entered  into  cr 
underllood  in  this  country*  ,  The  vulgar  ideji 
that  our  criminals  are  hardened  and   abandon- 
ed beyond  all  polfibility  of  amendment,    ap- 
peared to  him  equally  irrational  and  pernicious* 
He  fcorned,  through  negligence  or  difpair,  to 
give  up  the  vrorft  cafes  of  mental  corruption  ; 
he  fully  believed    that  proper  remedies,    duly 
adminiflered,  would   recover  a  large  fnare  of 
them ;  and  he  thought  it  the  greatcft  of  cru- 
elties to  confign  a   foul  to  perdition,    withoiit 
having  njade  every  effort    for   retrieving   it. 
Merely  to  get  rid  of  ccnvicis  by  execution   cr 
perpetual  banifnment,,  he  regarded  as  a  piece 
of  barbarous  policy,  equally  denoting  Vv'ant    of 
feeling,  and   deficiency    of  refource ;    and  het 
had  not  fo  much  Englifh  prejudice  about  him, 
as  to  fuppofe,  that   a  fyftem   not  adopted   ioi 
this  country  was  therefore  abfurd  or  imprac- 


My  fecond.ta  of  reflection  is  the  flriking- 
proof  this  work  affords  of  the  extenfive  benefit: 
arifing^frcm  a  free  prefs.     Ey  it^  means  we  fci^- 


(    55.) 

an  iRdivid'jal,  enjoying  neither  roysl  nor  mi- 
ciilerial  patronage,  but  Iblely  borne  up  by  ar- 
dent zeal  lor  the  public  good,  and  the  rclonr- 
ces  of  his  own  mind  and  fortune,  enabled  not 
only  to  lay  before  the  world  complete  infern-i- 
ation  concerning  a  moft  im})ortant  and  little 
known  fubjecT:,  but,  in  fome  meafure,  alfo  to 
enforce  the  corrccftion  of  ahufes,  by  bringing 
before  the  bar  of  the  public  thofe  by  whole 
negligence  or  criminality  they  had  beenfoder- 
cd.  For  as  the  hifl:ory  of  mankind  has  flicwn 
on  the  fine  hand,  that  palpable  injuftice  and 
mifmanagement,  even  in  an  abfolute  govern^ 
ment,  cannot  long  liand  their  ground  againft 
the  odium  of  an  enlightened  public  ;  fo,  on  the 
other,  it  has  proved,  that  even  hi  free  conftin 
lutions,  notwithftanding  all  their  boafted  checks 
and  balances,  very  grofs  abiifcs  may  long  pre^ 
vail,  unlefs  they  are  placed  in  open  day,  and 
fubmitted  to  the  cenfure  of  the  nation  at  large. 
Jtis  fcapcely,  I  think,  to  be  doubted,  that  the 
freedom  we  enjoy  in  this  country,  and  the  ul- 
tin-'ate  defeat  of  every  pernicious  projccl,  are 
lefs  owing  to  the  mechanifm  of  our  conflituii- 
on,  than  to  the  habitual  pradice  (rather  af- 
furned  by  the  fpirit  of  the  pecple  than  grant- 
ed by  the  laws)  of  fubjcding  every  pixblic  mca- 
foe  to  popular  dUcuirion  by  means  of  the  j.rcf&» 


C   56   ) 

From  this  ready  communication  of  facls  and 
opinions,  it  has  happened,  that  many  nfeful 
defigns  and  improvements  have  among  us  orir 
•ginated  from  perfons  who  had  neither  power 
ijor  intereft  of  their  own,  but  whofe  plans 
were  adopted  in  confequence  of  the  public  con- 
viftion.  The  refpe«ft  paid  to  Mr.  Howard's 
virtues,  abilities,  and  induftry,  placed  him  in  a 
manner  at  the  head  of  the  department  in  which 
he  had  engaged  as  a  vohmteer  ;  and  this,  not 
only  in  his  own  country,  but  afterwards,  in 
fome  me^fure,  throughout  Europe.  Though 
in  exercifnig  the  office  of  a  cenfcr  he  was  fupe- 
rior  to  the  fear  of  giving  offence,  yet  he  ever 
obferved  the  utmoft  delicacy  in  marking  out 
individuals  as  objects  of  blame.  He  boldly  and 
forcibly  difplayed  the  abufe,  but  left  it  to  thofe 
more  immediately  concerned,  to  take  notice  of 
the  delinquent.  It  cannot  be  queftioned,  that 
numbers  looked  with  an  evil  eye  upon  his  keen 
tefcarchcs  and  free  deteclions  ;  but  boiy  could 
they  venture,  before  the  public,  to  confront  a 
jnan  Vv'hofe  alTertions  were  correcb,  whofe  in- 
tentions were  above  all  fufpicion,  and  whofe 
life  would  fbnd  the  fevereft  teft  ?  May  this 
example  animate  all  future  friends  of  mankind 
>vith  a  noble  confid^r.^c  becoming  their  caufe  ? 


(     57     ) 

The  Houfe  of  Commons  now  took  isp,  v,  ith^ 
laudable  z?a],  tjie  imjportaiu  burii3ef5>  of  rcgula- 
tii\r  thepj-ifons;    and  in  th?  draught   cf   a  bill 
*•  to   puniili  by  iinprifon;nent    and  hard  labour 
certain  offenders,  and  to  eRablifh  proper  places 
fjr  their  reccpuon/'  the  plan  was  formed  npoa 
the  Kafp  and   Spin  Hoafcs  ia  Hoihiad-     Mr. 
Ilovvard  was  now  called  upoji  by   h's  proir.ife, 
as  well  ashis  indinition,  to  mnke  a  new   lour 
f  jr  the  pjrpofe  of    acqairing  fre!h  and  niore 
exad  information.      He,  accordingly,  in  April 
xyj$f  went    over    to    Holland,    and  revilited 
•uith  the  greatcft  attention  the  wcdl-condaAed 
eftablifhrnents  of  the  penitentiary  kind   in  the 
United  Provinces.     Thence  he  travelled  into 
Germany,    t-:khi^  his  courfe  throngh  Hanover 
and  Berlin,  to  Vienna.     From   this  capital  he 
proceeiled  to    Italy   l;y    X^enice  ;   and,    having 
Y^onz  as  far  foath  as  Niples,   rcturnedby  the 
v/eftern  fide  of  that   country   to    Switzcrbnd. 
Thence  he  purfued  the  courfe  of  the  Hhine 
tlirough    Germany  ;     and,    cro.Tmg   the   Low 
Countries  to  France,  returned   to  England  in 
January  1779.     During  the  fpring  and  fum- 
mer  of  this  year   he  made  another  complete 
tour  of    England    and    Wales,     and    likevyifc 
took, a  journey    through    Scotland    and   Ire* 
land. 


(    58    ) 

The  labours  of  thefe  two  years  were  cer- 
tainly not  lels  productive  of  ufefiil  information 
than  his  former  journeys.     In  feme  refpecls 
they    were  more  valuable,    ilnce,    being  now 
fully  mafterof  his  fubjecl,  and  acquainted  with 
the  means  of  procuring  the  befl  intelligence, 
he  purfued  his  inquiries  with  greater  eafe  and 
efFect.     He  was  now,  too,  a  diftinguiflied  cha- 
rader  in  Europe,  and  might  venture  to  alTume 
that  kind  of  authority,  to  which  the  colledion 
of  facls,  interefting   to   all  civilized    nations, 
feemed  to   entitle   him.     It  is  here  proper  to 
mention,  that  although  he  often  found  it  ne- 
ceilary,  efpecially  when  treading  new  ground* 
to  avail  himfelf  of  recommendations  to  pcrfons 
high  in  rank  and  office  ;  yet  that  he  much  pre- 
ferred, when  he  could  praclife  it,   carrying  on 
his  refearches  as  an  unknown  individual,  whofe 
bufmefs  was  not  fufpefted,  and  who  took  fuck 
times  and  opportunities  of  making  his  vifits,  as 
"fecured  him  againlt  any  thing  like  difguife   or 
preparation.     And  it  was  his  general  cuilom, 
after  he  had  once  obtained  acccfs  to  a  prifon 
by  the  prefencs  and  interpbfition  of  authority, 
to  flay  fome  time  in  the  place,  or  revifit  it,  for 
the  purpofe  of  renewing  his  enquiries  fingle 
and  unexpected.    Thus  careful  was  he  to  guard 
againft  deception  ;    and  with  fuch  coolnefs  of 


(    59    ) 

inveftigation  did  he  execute  a  defigii  which  it 
required  lb  much  ardour  of  mind  to  conceive. 

I  fhall  not,  however;  conceal,  that  Tome, 
fcnfible  and  not  uncaudid  obfervcrs  of  his  con- 
dud  have  thought  him  too  apt  to  be  prejudic- 
ed by  firll  imprefnons,  the  effedls  of  which  it 
appeared  extreme!}^  difficult  to  remove  ;  and 
they  have  alio  charged  him  with  fome times 
giving  undue  credit  to  perfons  of  inferior  con- 
dition, at  tlie  places  where  he  v.  as  making  his 
inquiries;  and  likewife  with  being  .ipparently 
better  plcafed  with  hnding  occafion  to  cenfurc 
than  to  commend.  If,  in  a  few  inftanccs, 
there  may  have  been  grounds  for  thei'e  impii- 
tations  (as  nothing  human  is  without  its  de- 
feds),  yet  I  think  his  works  may,  on  the  whole, 
be  confidently  referred  to,  as  proving,  by  an 
immenle  mafs  of  allowed  and  uncontradicted 
fads,  the  accuracy  of  his  reprefentations.  It 
is  likcwKe  tobe  conlidsred,  that,  as  abufcs  in 
general  proceed  from  luperiors,  it  was  not 
likely  that  a  fair  account  of  them  fliould  be 
obtained  from  that  quarter  :  and,  as  his  great 
purpofe  was  to  correct,  it  is  natural  that  his 
attention  luould  have  been  more  drawn  to 
what  was  wrong  than  what  was  right.  A 
Kercules  who  went  about  in  order  to  contend 


(     6o     ) 

with  rr.onftens  ^^d  litde  to  do  with  the  h\r 
forms  of  civil  life.  Yet  nuiierous  inilances 
of  liberal  praife  may  be  found  in  his  works,  cf- 
■pUvdUy  where  he  could  propofe  the  object  of 
it  U3  un  ex-^iaple  proper  for  imitation. 

The  tours  now  befcre  us  were  likewlfe  ren- 
dered richer  i:i  utility  by  the  comprehenfion  cf 
ajiuther  great  objecl,  that  of  hofpitab.  To 
thefe  inditutions  of  hiiraaiiity  Mr.  Kovvard 
had  long  been  attached  ;  he  had  been  a  pro- 
moter of  them,  and  atteutive  to  their  improve- 
ment; and  in  his  journies  through  this  king- 
dom, he  had  fel do m  failed  t;6  vliit  the  lioipi- 
t-als  and  inurmaries  fituated  in  our  priiicipal. 
towns.  He  had  aUo,  in  his  tlnl  publicai'^n, 
taken  curfory  notice  of  a  few  which  hs  law 
nbroad.  But  he  now  made  them  an  avowe4 
cbjecl  of  his  exsmination  ;  a  circumfiance,  it 
may  be  fuppofc'd,  not  a  little  ujeafing  to  his 
medical  friends.  P'or,  although  the  knowledge- 
colle.l:ed  by  a  profeifional  man  vvith  ilmilar. 
opportunities  Vvould,  doubtlefs,  have  been 
more  applicable  to  the  pnrpofe  of  fcience,  yet 
miitter  of  fact,  accurately  ftated-  by  a  feniible 
obferver,  muH:  ever  have  its  valiie.  Ijefides, 
"V^heii  c:.n  we  expect  to  fee  the  fp'rlt  and  quali^ 


(    6.     ) 

ties  of  a    Howard,    iinitetV    ^^   ^'^^     ^'     ^^^ 

profeilioii;  ^'hh  his  fortuns  and  ieiiure 


frP? 


The  fruit  of  all  this  refcarch  appeared  in  the^ 
year  1780,  in  an  Appendix  to  the  State  of  the 
Prifons  in  England  and  Wales  ;  containing  a 
further  acconnt  of  foreign  Prifons  and  Hofpi- 
tals,  with  additional  remarks  on  the  Prifons  of 
this  country.  It  is  a  qur.rto  volume  of  about 
two  hundred  pages,  with  feveral  plates.  The 
•work  begins  with  the  foreign  prifons  and  hof* 
pitals,  and  Holland  takes  the  lead,  fince  a  main 
object  of  the  journey  was  a  minute  account  of 
the  excellent  regulations  of  thehoufc3  of  cor- 
rC'flion  in  that  country.  M.my  of  the  rules, 
die^aries^  8-:c.  are  copied  ;  and  on  quitting  the 
country,  Mr.  Howard  gives  his  teflimony  to 
the  large  fit^ld  of  information  on  this  fubject 
that  it  affords,  and  lays,  that  he  knows  not 
which  moll  to  admire,  "  the  neatnefs  and 
cleanlinefs  appearing  in  the  prifons,  the  icduf- 
try  and  regular  conduct  of  the  prifoners,  or 
the  humanity  and  attention  of  the  magiftrates 
and  governors."  He  takes  little  notice  of  the 
hofpitalsfor  the  Tick  in  Holland,  not  approving 
their  mode  of  keeping  patients  fo  warm,  and 
excluding  ths  frsih  air.     At  Berlin  the    re- 


(      62     ) 

gnlariM^  and  frrlL^lifers  of  the  police  fiiews  the 
ruling  fpirit  of  the  great  Frederic.  A  work- 
houfe  here  is  conducted  in  the  beft  Dutch  mode. 
"\~ienna  affords  little  to  commend  in  its  prifons  ; 
on  the  contrary,  its  horrid  dungeons  feenj  the 
abode  of  the  extremeft  human  mifery.  Scarce- 
ly any  thin^^  in  Mr.  Howards  defcriptions  is 
more  touching  than  the  following  p.icl:ure  :  — 
'^  In  one  of  the  dark  dungeons,  down  twenty- 
four  fteps,  I  thought  I  had  found  a  perfon 
^vith  the  gaol -fever.  He  was  loaded  with  heavy 
irons,  and  ctiahied  to  the  wall :  anguifti  and 
mifery  appeared  with  tears  clotted  on  his  face. 
Ke  was  not  ci'pable  of  fpeaking  to  me  ;  but, 
on  examining  his  breafl  and  feet  for  Petechise, 
or  fpots^  and  finding  a  ftrong  intermitting 
pulfe,  I  was  convinced  that  he  v/as  not  ill  of 
that  diforder.  A  prifoner  in  an  oppoGte  cell 
told  me,  that  the  poor  creature  had  defired 
him  to  call  for  afhftance,  and  he  had  done  it, 
but  w:as  not  heard*.'*     The  charities     of  this 

*  Thisfcene  is  the  fuhjea  of  the  froutif piece  to  Mr, 
Haley's  OUe  to  Mr.  Howard  ;  and  it  is  better  drawn 

in  the  follcwiKg  f:a-iza  of  that  perfcrmance. 

Where  in  the  dungeon's  loaihjome  fiade 
The  fpeethhfs  captive  clanks  his  chain. 
With  heartlefs  hope  to  raife  that  aid 
Uisfct:l!e  cries  have  caU\l  in  vain : 


(     63     ) 

city,  chiefly  founded  by  the  late  Eniprcfs 
Oiieen,  are  much  more  p!eafir>g  fubjecVs  of  de- 
fcription. 

Ml*.  Howard  ejuered  Italy  with  high  expec- 
tations of  improvement  from  its  numerous  thii- 
ritnble  inlLitutions  and  public  edifices  ;  nor 
docs  it  appear  that  he  was  altogether  difup- 
pointed,  as  this  country  affords  him  a  pretiy 
long  and  interefling  article.  The  govern- 
ments in  which  a  fpirlt  of  improvement  and  at- 
tet:tion  topublic  objects,  fecm  uioft  to  prevail, 
are  thofe  of  Milan  and  Tufcuny.  The  hofpi- 
tals  in  Italy  afford  fome  novelties  and  ufeful 
hints  ;  but  there  appears  to  be  a  great  differ- 
ence amonu;  them  as  to  clcarilincis  and  "-ood 
management.  Rome  and  Ivlilan  liave  well 
conducted  houfcs  of  correction,  of  which  plans 
and  defcriptions  arc  given.  In  a  room  of  the 
former  is  infcribed  a  fentencc,  which  fo  admir- 
ably exprelTcd  Mr.  Howard's  idea  concerning 
the  purpofc  of  civil  policy  relative  to  criminals, 
that  he  would,  I  believe,  almoft  have  thought 

T/iine  eye  his  diim)  cojnplaint  explores; 

Thy  voicj  /u's  parting  breath  vdj tort's  ; 

T/iy  cares  his  ghajiiy  infags  char 

From  death'' s  chill  devj,  zvith  many  a  clottedtiar^ 

A>:d  to  his  thankful  foul  returning  life  adcar. 


(    64    ) 

»t  worth  while  to  have  travelled  thither  for 
thit  alone.     Parvm  est  coercere  improeos 

POENA,  NISI  FRCBCS  EFFICIAS  DISCIFLINA.       It 

is  douig  little  to  reflrahi  the  had  hy  punlJJjmentp 
:oiiefs  you  render  them  good  by  dlfcVpllrie,  The 
galleys  belonging  to  various  (lates  in  Italy,  and 
ufed  for  pnnilhracnt,  may  be  ufefuUy  compared 
v.'irhour  hulks. 

The  weftern  fide  of  Germany  offers  fome 
good  regulations  in  its  houfes  of  corredion  ; 
bat  in  general,  the  police  of  this  country  is  no 
objed  of  imitation.  The  dungeons  of  Liege 
prefent  pidures  to  the  imagination,  more  dread- 
ful, if  poiTible,  than  thofe  of  Vienna.  ''In  de- 
fcenJing  deep  below  ground,"  fays  Mr.  Kow. 
zrdf  ''fl  heard  the  inoans  of  the  miferable 
v.'retches  in  the  dark  dungeons.  The  fides 
and. roof  v/ere  all  (lone.  In  v.-et  feafons,  water 
from  the  fofTes  gets  into  them,  and  has  greatly 
damaged  the  (loors.'* — • — ^'  The  dungeons  in 
the  nevv'  prifon  are  abodes  of  mifery  flill 
more  ihocking  ;  and  confirjement  in  them  fo 
overpowers  human  nature,  as  fometimes  irre- 
coverably to  take  away  the  fenfes.  I  heard 
the  cries  of  the  diflracled  as  I  went  down  to 
them.''  Surely  the  Liegois  cannot  be  blamed 
for  endeavouring  to  place  civil  authority  in  dif- 


(    «5    ) 

ferent  hands  from  thofe  who  thus  outraged  the 
feeJings  of  human  nature  I 

The  additional  notices  of  France  are  diftin- 
guifhed  by  an  account  of  tlie  Ballille,  cxtraC^tfd 
from  a  fcarce  pamphlet,  which  Mr.  Howard 
procured,  not  without  hazard,  and  a  tranflation 
of  the  whole  of  which  he  likewife  printed,  "e 
had  reafon  to  believe,  that  this  expofure  to  all 
Europe  of  the  horrid  fecrets  of  this  '*  prifon- 
houfe,"  was  a  caufe  that  his  after  vilits  to  that 
country  were  attended  with  no  fmall  dinger 
to  his  liberty  ;  and  it  was  once  not  improbable 
that  Mr.  Howard  fhould  have  been  in  the  nun  - 
her  of  thofe  victims  whom  the  demolition  of 
thatfortrefs  of  defpoLifm  reftored  to  hght  and 
freedom.  What  a  triumph  mull  it  have  been 
to  him,  to  have  learned,  that  the  frowning 
towers,  which  could  not  be  approached  or  even 
gazed  at,  without  offence,  were  levelled  to  the 
ground,  as  the  firft  jacrifice  to  the  recovered 
rights  of  a  generous  nation  1  It  is  ren^arkable, 
that  France  v/as  of  all  countries  that  in  v/hich 
lie  found  incel'igence  concerning  the  prilons 
and  other  government  eftablifljments,  n-.oft  dif- 
ficult to  be  obtained  ;  and  this  union  of  the 
f'ufpicious  rigour  of  the  police  v,ltlithe  exterlcr 

gaiety  and  frivolity  of  the  national  cbarcicler^ 
F  2 


(     66     ) 

gave  him  no  fmall  difgiift.  It  h  to  be  prefiim- 
<jcl,  that  the  change  in  their  conftituticn  will 
fcften  this  contrafl  into  a  defirable  harmony  be- 
tween the  principles  of  the  adminiflration  and 
the  manners  of  tlie  people. 

Great  Britain  being  then  at  war  with 
France,  Spain,  and  America,  Mr.  Howard 
could  not  be  unmindful  of  that  clafs  of  honour- 
able prifonersto  wiiich  he  himfeU  had  once  be- 
longed. He  very  attentively  vil;ied  the  Eng- 
lilh  prifoners  of  war  confined  in  Calais  and 
Frcj^-ch  Flanders,  noting  down  their  complaints 
and  all  the  particulars  of  their  treatment.  He 
alfo,  £s  I  have  been  well  informed,  clothed  at 
his  own  expence,  feveral  who  had  been  niip- 
wrecked  on  the  French  coaft  in  the  dreadfiil 
dorm  of  December  31,  1778,  and  were  left 
almbil  naked.  He  likewife  exerted  himfelf  in 
ciiTuading  the  men  from  enlifling  with  the 
French,  who  were  endeavouring  to  feduce 
them  ;  by  which  he  greatly  oiFended  the  per- 
fons  in  oiRce  there,  who  could  not  imagine 
that  he  acted  in  all  this  as  a  private  man,  but 
Vvcre  (Irongly  perfuaded  that  he  was  a  fecret 
a^^renr  or  fpy  of  the  Englifn  government.  This 
n:; rural  fuppoiliion  may  ferve  as  feme  apology 


\X   67   ) 

for  the  fufpicion  and  illiberality  with  which  ke 
was  conflaiitly  treated  in  that  country. 

On  his  return  to  England,  wiih  the  trnc 
fpirit  of  a  citizen  of  the  world,  he  p::d  imme- 
diate vifits  to  the  French,  Spaniih,  and  Ameri- 
can pril'oners  of  war  in  thisconntry  ;  nor  did 
he  forget  thoxc  in  Scotland  and  Ireland.  The 
refults  of  his  obfervarions,  o-iven  with  themofi 
perfecl  in)partiality,  fnccced  the  accovin:  of  fo- 
rei<Tn  prifons  and  hofpirals  ;  and  it  cannot  be 
doubted  th.n  tiiey  had  confiderable  effect  in 
alleviating  the  unavoidable  hardiliips  of  war. 

Mr.  Howard  next  g'ves  a  brief  account  of 
what  he  obferved  wortiry  of  notice  in  his  tours 
throu<^h  Scotland  and  Ireland.  The  fornfer 
country  being  governed  by  a  different  fyflcm 
of  municipal  law  from  that  of  England,  aflord 
fome  ufeful  remarks  concerning  imprifonment 
for  debt,  the  form  of  admir.iflering  an  oath, 
and  the  mode  of  condu<fting  executions.  Ire- 
land has  not  been  at  all  behind-hand  with  the 
fiiier  kingdom  in  paiJing  ads  for  the  liberal  im- 
provement of  its  prifons;  but  there  did 
not,  at  that  time,  appear  an  equal  attention 
in  magiftrates  to  put  them  in  execution. 
Some  remarks  here  introduced^  conceruin^r  the 


(    68    ) 

practice  of  recruiting  the  army  out  of  the  gaols, 
Will  be  thought  important  by  thofe,  who  wifli 
that  the  clals  of  armed  citizens  fnoulcl  be  re- 
fpeclable,  in  proportion  to  iis  confequeuce. 

The  next  article  relates  to  the  Hulks  on  the 
Thames.  Thefe,  at  their  firft  inftitution,  had 
been  extremely  unhealthy,  in  confequence  of 
faults  which  Mr.  Howard  pointed  out  in  his 
former  work-  Their  ftate  was  now  much 
mended  by  means  of  parliamentary  interfe- 
rence;  yet,  on  the  whole,  it  was  not  a  mode 
of  imprifonment  and  erx'iployment  which  met 
with  his  approbation.  Some  further  remarks 
qn  the  Gaol-fever  fucceed  ;  v.'hich,  in  addition 
to  the  general  caufes  of  want  of  frefli  air  and 
tleanlinefs,  lie  attributes  to  fuch  a  Tudden 
change  of  diet  and  lodging  as  breaks  the  Spi- 
rits of  convidls.  This  correfponds  with  the 
medical  doctrine  of  the  tffe^  of  debilitating 
caufes,  in  producing  fevers  of  the  typhus  kind  ; 
yet  it  feems  fuch  a  caufe  as  cannot  v.'cll  be 
avoided. 

The  remainder  of  the  book  is  occupied  by  a 
frefli  furvey  of  the  prifons  in  England  and 
Wales,  in  which  fuch  changes  as  had  taken 
place  fjnce  his  former  publication   are    r^ncd. 


c  %  ) 

with  occafional  obfervaticns.  The  reader  Vv-ill 
remark  with  pleafure,  that  in  n:;Gft  parts  of 
the  kingdom,  various  ufcfji  akcraticris  had 
been  made  fince  the  period  in  which  Mr. 
Howard  began  his  enquiries  ;  and  the  great 
fhare  he  ha.d  in  occalioning  them  will  be  uni« 
verfally  admitted. 

His  conclurion  exprelTcs  fatiff^clion  with  the 
refult  of  his  labours;  and  mentions,  that  it 
had  been  his  intention  now  to  retire  to  the . 
tranquil  enjoyment  of  that  competence  Provi- 
dence had  beftowed  on  him,  but  that  the  ear- 
ned perluafions  of  tbofe  who  thought  him  2 
proper  perfon  to  fuperintcnd  one  of  the  great 
plans  he  had  fo  much  recommended,  had  in- 
duced him  ftili  to  devote  his  time  to  the  pubjic. 
Concerning  this  matter,  it  is  proper  to  enter 
into  an  explanation.  I  fliali  only  firft  menri- 
on,  that,  together  with  this  Apendix,  there 
was  printed  a  new  edition,  in  oclavo,  of  the 
State  of  the  Prifons,  with  which  all  this  addi- 
tional matter  was  inter  ivoven. 

An  acT;for  eftabliiliii-!^  Penitentiary  Houfes, 
on  which  much  labour  and  thought  had  been 
beftowed  by  men   of  great  ability,  pailed   in 


1779.     -^'Y  ^^^^^  ^'^^}  three  rupcrvilbrs  were  ap- 
pointed for  the  piirpofe  of  i'liper  in  tending   the 
fcxecr.tion  of  the  biiildip.gs.     The  whole   king- 
dom would  naturally  turn  its  eyes  on  Mr.  How- 
ard, as  the  firil  perfon  whofe    fer vices  fi:ould 
be  engsged  011  this  occs'icn  ;  but  it  was  not  x^n 
eafy  tafic  to   obtain   his    acouiefcence.     Anicrg 
other   objections^   his  extreme   delicacy,    with 
refpecl  to   pecuniary   emolument,  flood   in  his 
way;  and  even   the    moderate  falary   annexed 
to  this  office,  leemed  to  him   fcarcely  compati- 
ble with  the  abfolujre  difintereftednefs  of  con- 
duit he  had  maintained^  and  was  determined  to 
preferve,  during  the  whole  of  his  labours.     At 
length,  however,  the  folicitations  qf  his  friends, 
particularly  of  the  late  Sir  W.  Blackftcne,  the 
great  promoter  cf  the  defign^  together  with  a 
confcioufnefs  of  the  fervice   he  might  render 
the  public  in  this  ftation,  overcame  his  relud- 
ance.     Kaving  refolved  10  accept   of  no  falary 
for  hirofelf,  and  having  made  the  afTociation  of 
his  highly-refpefted  friend.  Dr.  Fothergill,  a 
condition  of  his  compliance,  he,  with  the  Doc, 
tor,     and    ?*'Ir.    Whately,    treafurer    of    the 
Foundling-hofpital,     \fere    nominated   by    his 
Majefty   as  the   three  fupervilbrs.     The  firft 
matter  for  their  determination  was,  fixing  on 


(     71     ) 

the  fpot  where  the  two  penitentiary  houfes  for 
the  i^etropolis  fhould  be  erecled.  Various  fi- 
rnations  were  propofed,  and  Mr. -Howard  paid 
due  attention  to  all  the  plans,  by  vifiting  the 
fpots,  and  maturely  conlidering  ail  circuin(tan- 
ces  favourable  and  objectionable.  The  refult 
was,  that  his  opinion  and  that  of  Dr.  Fother- 
gill  coincided  in  giving  a  preference  to  Illing- 
ton,  for  reafbns  which  he  has  ftated  in  his  laft 
publication.  Mr.  Whately  preferred  the  iitu- 
ation  of  limehoufe.  By  the  death-bed  advice 
of  Sir  W.  Blackftone,  the  two  friends  adhered 
to  their  opinion  ;  but  the  matter  was  made  an 
affair  of  obflinate  contention,  and  remained 
undecided  during  the  year  1780.  At  the  end 
of  ij:  Dr.  Fothergill  died  ;  upon  which  event, 
Mr.  Howard,  forefeeing  that  the  want  of  the 
fupport  of  fuch  a  colleague  would  render  his 
future  interference  ufelej's,  lent  his  refignation 
of  the  oiiice  of  fupervifor  in  January  1781,  in 
a  letter  to  Earl  Bathuru:,  which  he  has 
printed. 

Now  that  Mr.  Howard  had  freed  himfelf 
from  the  engagement,  which  feemed  to  be  the 
only  obdacle  between  him  and  that  elegant  i;^- 
tJ-eat  which  for  fo  many  years  he  had  inhabited, 
it  might  naturally  be  imagined  that  he  would 


(  72  y 

ill  down  in  repofe,  for  the  remainder  of  bis 
life,  fatisfied  with  the  unparalleled  and  fuccefs- 
ful  exertions  he  had  niade  for  the  relief  of  the 
moildiftrefled  portion  of  mankind  ;  and  thence- 
forth employ  hinifelf  only  in  thofemore  confin- 
ed deeds  of  beneficence  which  he  had  ever 
pracblfed.  But  it  was  a  leading  feature  in  his 
character,  not  to  be  content  with  any  thing 
ihort  of  the  greateit  perfection,  which  every 
object  of  his  purfuit  was  capable  of  attaining — 
and  this  principle  could  fcarcely  fail  of  applying 
itfelf  to  a  fubjecl:  fo  important  as  that  which 
had  for  fome  years  occupied  his  attention. — 
Though  his  researches  in  th(jie  foreign  coun- 
tries whi«h  promifed  mof!:  information,  might 
have  been  fuppoled  to  have  exhauftcd  that 
fource  of  improvement,  yet,  on  iurveying  fo 
large  a  tract  of  Europe  as  yet  unvifited,  he 
could  not  be  fatisfied  to  remain  unacquainted 
with  the  ufeful  facts  relative  to  his  purpofe, 
which  might  poiTibly  lie  there  concealed.  And 
he  was  convinced,  that  every  nev/  vilit,  even 
to  places  already  examined,  would  aiTord  new 
iiiitruction. . 

.  It  was  therefore  no  furprife  to  thofe  who 
intimately  knew  him,  to  learn,  that  in  the 
fummer  of  1781  he  v/as  fet  out  on  a  tour  to 


C   n   ) 

the  capitals  of  Denmark,   Sweden,  RulTia,  and 
Poland,  with  the  further  intention  of  revifitin^ 
Holland    and   part   of  Germany.      From  this 
tour  he   returned   towards    the   clofe  of  the 
year.     I  have  before  me    a   letter  of  his  to  a 
friend  (the  Rev.  Mr.  Smith,   of  Bedford,  dat- 
ed jMofcow,   September   7,    1781,    whence   it 
appears,  that  thefe  parts  of  the  world   were 
lefs  fuitable   to  his   mode    of  living  than    the 
countries  through    which  his   former   travels 
lay.     '^  I  thought  {hys  he)  I  could  live  where 
any  man  did  live  ;  but  this  northern  journey, 
cfpecially  in  Sweden,  has  pinched  me:  no  fruit, 
no  garden -ftuiF,   four  bread,    four  milk: — but 
in   this  city    I  find  every  luxury,  even  pine- 
apples and   potatoes."     He  mentions    having 
declined  every  honour  that  was  offered  him  at 
Peterfhurgb,  even  that  of  a  foldier  to   attend 
him  on  his  journey;   and  fays,  that  he  will  not 
leave  Mofcow,  till  he  has  made  repeated  vifits 
to  the  prifons  and  hofpitals,  fmce  the  firft:  man 
in  the  kingdom  had  alTured  him,  thai  hispubli- 
cation  would  be  tranflated  into  Ruffian. 

The  year  1782  he  was  employed  in  another 
complete  furvey  of  the  prifons  in  England,  and 

another  journey  into    ScotlaLd  and  Ireland 

The  Iriili  Houie  ot  Common  shavingappointed 


(     74     ) 

a  gaol- committee,  he  reported  to  it  the  (late  of 
feveral  of  the  prifons  in  Dublin.  Other  objects 
in  that  Ifland  alio  engaged  his  attention,  of 
which  an  account  will  be  given  hereafter. 

Spain  and  Portugal  yet  remained  untouched 
ground.     Confidering  how  much  the  fpirit  of 
religious  bigotry  and  civil  defpotifm  has  thrown 
thefe  countries  back  in  the  progrefs  of  modern 
Improvement,  much  inftru6tion  was  not  to  be 
€xpe(n:ed  from  them  ;    yet  the  very  circum- 
ftance  of  their  difference  from  the  reft  of  Eu- 
rope made  their  fyfteras  of  police  an  object  of 
curiofity.      He  failed  to  Lilbon  in  February 
1783,  and  proceeded  thence  by  land  into  Spain> 
paffing  from  Badajos  to  Madrid,  and  through 
Valladolid,  Burgos,  and  Pamplona,  to  France. 
From  this  laft  country  he  returned  through 
Flanders  and  Holland  to  England.     Travelling 
in  Spain  is  afevere  trial  of  patience  to  thofe 
who  have  been  accuftomed  to  eafy  conveyance 
and  luxurious  indulgencies  ;  but  Mr.  Howard's 
wants  were  eafily  fatisfied.     *' The  Spaniards, 
ffays  he,  in  a  letter  to  the  fame  friend)  are  ve- 
ry fober,  and  very  honeft ;  and  if  a   traveller 
■can  livefparingly,  and  lie  on  the  floor,  he  may 
pafs  tolerably   well  through  their  country. *' 
From  Lilbon  to  Madrid  he  could  leldom  get 


(    75    ) 

the  Iii5?ury  of  milkwuh  his  tea  ;  but  one  morn- 
ing (he  tells  his  friend)  he  robbed  a  kid  of  two 
cups  of  its  mother's  milk.  He  remained,  how- 
ever, in  perfect  health  and  fpirits  ;  and  receiv- 
ed that  mark  of  attention  which  he  moft  of  all 
valued,  a  free  accefs  to  the  prifons  of  all  the 
cities  he  vifited,  by  means  of  letters  to  the  ma- 
giflrates  from  Count  Campomanes. 

After  a  (liort  repofe  on  his  return  from  this 
tour^  he  made  another  journey  in  the  funmier 
of  the  fame  year  into  Scotland  and  Ireland, 
and  again  vilited  feveral  of  the  Englifli  pri- 
fons. 

His  materials  had  now  once  more  accumulat- 
ed to  fuch  a  mafs,  as  to  demand  communicati. 
on  to  the  public.  During  the  laft  three  years 
his  labours  had  been  even  greater  than  in  any 
former  equal  period  ;  yet  it  could  not  be  ex- 
pected, that  the  matter  abfolutely  new  which 
he  had  collected  fliould  be  proportionally  great- 
It  was  however,  enough,  to  employ  him  very 
clofely  during  feveral  months  of  the  year  1784, 
in  printing  an  Appendix,  and  a  new  edition  of 
the  main  work,  in  which  all  the  editions  were 
comprifed.  The  Appendix  contains  all  the 
matter  of  that  of   1780,  together  with  what 


C    76    ) 

had  fince  accrued.     Of  the   latter  I  now  pro- 
eeed  to  give  iome  account. 

Several  new  houfes  of  correction  are  def- 
cribed  under  the  head  of  Holland,  the  coun- 
try which  Mr.  Howard  ever  found  the  moft 
fertile  fource  of  inilruction  in  this  branch  of 
police.  The  plan  of  the  large  new  work- 
lioufe  of  Amflerdam  muft  be  well  worth  ftu- 
dying,  as  affording  hints  for  the  conftru(fl:ion 
of  penitentiary  houfes.  Germany  has  the  ad- 
dition of  the  prifons  of  Hanover  and  Bremen, 
a  minute  account  of  the  great  and  well  regu- 
lated work-houfe  at  Hamburg,  and  flaort  no- 
tices  concerning  Silefia.  Of  the  northern 
kingdoms  which  he  now  firft  vifited,  it  may  in 
o-eneral  be  obferved,  that  their  models,  as  well 
with  refpect  to  police,  as  to  mode  of  living, 
have  been  Holland  and  Germany;  but  their 
poverty,  and  the  rigour  of  their  climate,  have 
made  them  degenerate  in  their  imitations.  In 
particular,  they  are  extremely  deficient  in 
cleanlinefs  and  induftry.  The  new  articles, 
therefore,  of  Denmark  and  Sweden,  though 
valuable  for  the  information  they  contain,  yet 
afford  little  or  nothing  of  inftrudion.  The 
vaft  empire  ofRuflia,  lately  emerged  from  ob- 
fcurity  to  take  a  commanding  itation  in  tho 


(     77     ) 

fyftem  of  Europe,  and  governed  by  uncontrol- 
ed  power,  at  prefent  dire6i:ed  by  a  fpirit  of 
magnificent  improvement,  could  not  but  offer 
in  its  inflitutions  various  things  worthy  of  no- 
tice. Its  police  refpecling  criminals,  its  pri- 
fons,  hofpitals,  and  places  of  public  education, 
are  briefly  mentioned  by  Mr.  Howard  ;  bu:  he 
has  found  little  to  propofe  as  an  example  for  o- 
ther  countries.  The  regulations  of  the  great 
convent  at  Peterlburgh,  for  the  education  of 
female  children  of  the  nobility  and  common- 
ers, are  given  in  detail,  and  afford  fome  falu* 
tary  rules  for  the  prefervation  of  the  health  of 
young  perfons,  and  for  promoting  habits  of 
cleanlinefs  and  temperance.  The  plan  and 
delcription  of  a  magazine  for  medicinal  herbs 
atMofcow,  will  be  a  pleafing  novelty  to  moft 
readers.  Mr.  Howard  had  been  anticipated. 
in  his  furvey  of  the  prifons  and  hofpitals  of  tfie 
northern  kingdoms,  by  that  well-informed 
traveller,  Mr.  Coxe,  who  publiflied  a  pamphlet 
on  the  fubjed:  in  1781,  here  referred  to  with 
commendation.  The  fliort  head  of  Poland  con- 
tains little  biit  a  teftimony  to  the  neglected 
and  wretched  (late  of  public  inftitutions  in  thai-, 
ill-governed  country.  All  travellers  have 
concurred  in  fimilar  reprefentations  of  the 
v^hole  fyllem  of  affiiirs,  internal  and  external^ 
G  z 


(     78     ) 

in  that  unhappy  feat  of  ariftocratical  tyranny  •  I 
fo  that  it  may  be  prefumed,  their  does  not  ex- 
ift  fo  determined  an  enemy  of  innovation  as  not 
to  rejoice  in  the  change  of  conflitiuion  which 
has  lately  been  effeded  there,  by  means  of  the 
filent  and  peaceable  progrefs  of  light  and  rea- 
fon. 

There  are  various  additional  articles  under 
Flanders,  one  of  which  relates  to  a  great  al- 
teration for  the  worfe  in  the  houfe  of  correc- 
tion at  Ghent.  A  once  flouriihing  manufaclo-  t 
ry  carried  on  in  the  prifon  was  at  an  end  ;  and  I 
the  allowance  of  victuals  to  the  prifoners  was 
reduced  in  quantity  and  quality.  In  the  ac- 
count of  a  very  oftenfive  prifon  at  Lille,  Mr» 
Howard  exprelTes  his  grateful  acknowledg- 
ments to  Providence  for  his  recoveiy  from  a 
fever  causht  there  of  the  Tick. 


The  account  of  Portugal  is  almofl:  confined 
to  the  prifons  andhofpitalsof  Liihon  ;  the  fiate 
of  which,  upon  the  whole  does  credit  to  the 
government.  The  employment  of  about  a 
a  thoufand  vagrant  and  deferred  children  in 
a  manufaclory,  is  one  of  the  nicft  obfervable. 
circumflances* 


J 


(    79    ) 

Spain,  which  has  been  long  diftinguiilicd 
for  its  charitable  eftablifhments,  affords  like- 
wife  in  its  criminal  police,  many  things  deferv- 
ing  of  attention  ;  though  the  fpirit  of  rigonr 
and  feverity  is  perhaps  too  apparent,  aajidft 
much  laudable  order  and  exadnefs.  The  houte 
of  correction  at  Madrid,  called  San  Fernandc/, 
may  vie  with  fome  of  the  beft  regulated  infti- 
tutions  of  this  nature  ;  and  the  Knfpicio,  a 
kind  of  work-houfe,  in  which  exter.five  nianu- 
fadories  are  carried  on,  is  a  good  example  of 
the  union  of  employment  with  confinement. — 
The  account  of  the  charitable  Ibciety  of  the 
Hermandad  del  Refugio,  who  patrole  the 
ftrectshi  tlie  evening,  for  the  purpofe  of  invit- 
ing deflitnte  wanderers  to  a  comfortable  fup- 
per  and  night's  lodging,  will  excite  pleafir.g 
fenfations  in  ihe  breall  of  every  lover,  ol  hu- 
Kianity.  The  prisons  of  the  inquiiition,  thcl'e 
objects  of  horror  and  dereftation  to  every  Pro- 
teltant,  and  now,  probably,  to  moil  Catholics, 
excited  great  curiofuy  in  Mr.  Howard,  of 
which  liowever,  all  hi:  elForts  could  only  pro- 
cure a  partial  gratification.  Yet  he  has  been 
able  to  communicate  enough  concerning  thofe 
of  Valladolid  to  form  a  linking  piclure  of  tei  - 
ror.  On  the  whole,  the  predileclicn  he  had 
longemertained  fortiie  Spaailh  charadi^r,  was 


C    80    ) 

not  diminifhed  by  his  vifit  to  the  country ;  nor 
does  he  leein  to  have  thought  his  pains  in  ex- 
tending his  inquiries  to  it,  ill  bellowed.  The 
additional  notices  in  France,  chiefly  relate  to 
the  Paris  hofpitals.  It  is  tieedlefs  to  dwell  on 
thefe,  lince  a  very  accnrate  delcription  of  them 
has  lince  been  given  ni  a  capital  work  by  M* 
Tenon. 

To  the  acconnt  of  foreign  prifons  and  hofpi- 
tals,  fucceeds  a  frelh  furvey  of  the  prilbners  of 
war. 

The  new  journies  to  Scotland,  now  extend- 
ed as  far  as  Tnvernefs,  afford  Httle  but  cenfure 
for  the  negled  of  the  prifons  in  that  country. 
Under  Ireland  are  introduced  additional  re- 
marks on  the  faults  and  abufes  f^ill  obfcrvable 
in  the  prifons  there.  Notwithflanding  a  very 
fpirited  exertion  of  the  legiflature  to  amend 
their  ftate,  by  framing  good  a(fls  for  their  re- 
gulation. But,  *^  quid  leges  fme  moribus,  &:c.'' 
The  horrid  effect  of  that  cheap  poifon,  whif- 
ky,  upon  the  health  and  morals  of  the  lower 
clafles  in  that  country,  are  noticed  by  Mr. 
Howard  with  much  indignant  difguff.  A  new 
object  of  attention  occurred  to  him  in  the  two 
laft  vifits  to  Ireland, — the  Proteftant  Charter 


(     Si     ) 

Schools,  a  noble  foundation,  but  v.hich  he 
found  funk  into  wretched  abufe,  notwiih- 
ftanding  the  patronage  and  fnperintendance  of 
the  firll  perfons  in  that  kingdom.  Erroneous 
accounts  of  them,  publiihed  by  a  committee,  and 
authorized  by  being  annexed  to  a  printed  fer- 
mon  of  a  prelate  in  tlieir  favour,  were  detecled 
by  Mr.  Howard  on  his  vilits  to  fome  of  them, 
and  are  expofcd  \\ith  his  ufual  freedom. 

Further  accounts  of  the  Hulks  follow.  To 
the  remarks  on  the  gaol-fever,  Mr.  Howard 
adds  the  information,  that  in  1782  he  did  not 
find  one  pcrfon  in  this  kingdom  alFecled  with 
that  difeafe  ;  but  that  in  1783  he  had  the 
mortification  to  obferve  feveral  prifons,  thro* 
original  bad  conftrnction  and  neglect,  rclapling 
to  their  former  ftate.  So  eflential  is  a  plan  of 
conftant  vigilance  and  infpedion,  to  countera<ft 
the  lamentable  tendency  to  abufe  in  all  public 
inftitutions  !  This  principle  of  corruption  and 
decay  in  every  thing  human  is  fo  incelfantly  ac- 
tive, that,  if  not  redded  by  the  timely  efforts  of 
reformation,  all  the  contrivances  of  wifdom 
againil  natural  and  moral  evils,  would,  like  the 
dykes  of  Holland,  perpetually  Tapped  and  worn 
by  the  force  of  th3  elements,  fall  into  irremedi- 
able ruin. 


C    82    ) 

The  remainder  of  this  volume  is  taken  up 
with  a  review  of  all  the  Englifh  prifons,  toge- 
ther with  particulars  of  ail  the  alterations 
which  they  had  undergone  fmce  the  laft-  pubh- 
cation.  The  reader  will  be  gratified  in  find- 
ing, from  the  number  of  new  prifons,  and  new 
buildiiio-s  and  conveniencies  added  to  the  eld, 
that  the  counties  in  general  had  by  no  means 
been  deficient  in  liberal  attention  to  this  great 
objed,  fince  it  had  been  brought  forward  and 
aided  by  Mr.  Howard's  indefatigable  exertions. 
At  the  conclufion;  among  the  tables,  is  a  fketch 
of  general  heads  of  regulations  for  penitentiary- 
houfes,  which  will  be  highly  ufeful  in  fuggeft- 
ing  a  complete  body  of  rules  and  orders  for 
fuch  eflabliflmients,  if  ever  they  iliould  again 
be  thought  of  in  this  country. 

The  printing  of  this  copious  Appendix,  to- 
gether with  a  complete  edition  of  his  State  of 
the  Prifons,  into  which  all  the  additions  were 
incorporated,  making  a  large  and  clofely  print* 
cd  quarto  volume,  occupied  much  of  Mr. 
Howard's  time  in  the  year  1784.  The  re- 
mainder of  that,  and  the  greater  part  of  the 
next  year,  do  not  appear  marked  with  his 
public  fervices.  They  were,  I  believe,  chief- 
ly employed  in  domeftic   concerns,   of  which 


(     «3     ) 

the  choice  of  a  proper  place  of  education  fur 
his  fon,  now  riiing  towards  manhood,  was  one 
that  moft  intereftedhiin.  But  the  habitude  of 
carr5ing  on  refearches  in:o  an  object,  which 
by  long  poflelhon  had  acquired  deep  root  in 
his  mind,  together  with  a  new  idea,  collate- 
rally allied  to  it,  which  had  ftruck  him,  at 
length  impelled  him  once  more'  to  engage  in 
the  toils  and  perils  of  a   foreign  journey. 

He  had  obferved  that,  notwithftanding  the 
regulations  for  preferving  health  in  prifons 
and  hofpitals,  infectious  difcafes  continued  oc- 
cafionally  to  arife  and  fpread  in  them  :  he  had 
alfo  in  his  travels  remarked  the  great  iblici- 
tude  of  feveral  trading  nations  to  preferve 
therafelves  from  that  moft  deftructive  of  all 
contagious  diftempers,  M^P/i^^wf;  and,  at  the 
fame  time,  he  was  well  apprized  of  the  rude 
and  neglected  ftate  in  which  the  police  of  our 
own  country  is  left  refpeding  that  object# 
Combining  thefe  ideas,  he  thought  that  a  vifit 
to  all  the  principal  Lazarettos,  and  to  counv 
tries  frequently  attacked  by  the  plague,  might 
afford  much  information  as  to  the  means  of 
preventing  contagion  in  general,  as  ^-ell  a3 
particular  inftruction  concerning  efcabliihments 
for  thepurpofe  of  guarding  againft  peitilential 


(     84     ) 

infection.  His  intent,  therefore,  was  nothing 
lefs,  than  to  plunge  into  the  mio'ft  of  thofe 
dangers  which  by  other  men  are  fo  anxioufly 
avoided  ;  toiearch  out  and  confront  the  great 
foe  of  human  life,  for  the  fake  of  recognizing 
his  features,  and  difcovering  the  niofi  efficaci- 
ous barriers  againft  his  afianlts.  Who  but 
muft  be  ftruckwith  admiration  of  the  firmncfs 
of  courage,  and  the  ardour  of  benevolence, 
which  could  prompt  fuch  a  defign  !  As  a  proof 
of  his  own  idea  of  the  hazards  he  was  to  en- 
counter, it  may  be  mentiened,  that  he  refolv- 
ed  to  travel  iingle  and  unattended  ;  not  think- 
ing it  juflifiable  to  permit  any  of  his  fervants 
to  partake  of  a  danger  to  which  they  were  not 
called  by  motives  fimilar  to  his  own. 

It  was  towards  the  end  of  J  7  85  that  Mr. 
Howard  fet  out  upon  this  tour,  taking  his  way 
through  Holland  and  Flanders,  to  the  fouih 
of  France.  As,  from  the  jealoufy  and  dif- 
pleafure  of  the  French  government,  he  was 
not  able  to  obtain  permifiion  to  vifit  the  efla- 
blhhments  there,  or  even  to  gain  alTurance  of 
per  Ton  al  fafety,  he  travelled  thrcugh  the 
country  as  an  Engliih  phyfician,  never  took 
his  meals  in  public,  and  entrulted  his  fecret 
only  to  the   proieflant  miniilers.     In  a  lettfir 


C     85     ) 

from  Nice  to  the  friend  above-mentionied, 
dated  January  30,  1786,  he  acquaints  him 
with  thefe  circumftances,  and  fays,  that  he 
was  five  days  at  Marfei'les  and  four  at  Teulon  . 
and,  as  it  was  thought  that  he  could  not  gee 
out  of  France  by  land,  he  embarked  in  a  Ge- 
noefe  vsffel,  and  was  feveral  days  ftriving  a- 
gainfl:  wind  and  tide.  They  who  at  prefent 
conduct  the  government  of  France,  I  am  per- 
fuaded,  will  blulh  at  the  idea,  that  a  Howard 
was  obliged  to  conceal  his  name  and  purpofe 
while  carrying  on  in  their  country  inquiries 
which  had  no  other  aim  than  the  good  of  man- 
kind ! 

,  From  Nice,  Mr.  Hovv-ard  went  to  Genoa, 
Leghorn,  and  Naples,  and  to  the  iflands  of 
Malta  and  Zante.  He  then  failed  to  Smyrna, 
and  thence  to  Conftantinople.  I  have*  been 
favored  with  a  letter  of  his  to  Dr.  Price  from 
ihis  metropolis,  dated  June  22,  1786,  fome 
.^xtrads  from  which  I  fliall  prefent  to  the  rea- 
der. 

''  After  viewing   the   eFeds   of  tbe   earth- 

quake  in   Sicily,  I  arrived  at  Malta,  where  I 

repeatedly  vifited  the  prifons,  hofpitals,  poor- 

Iioufes^  and  Uzarcttos,  as  I  (laid  thre«  weeks. 

H 


(    85    ) 

From  thence  I  went  to  Zante  :  as  they  are  all 
Greeks,  I  wiihed  to  have  feme  general  idea  of 
their  hofpitals  and  prifoiis,  before  I  went  into 
Turkey.  From  thence,  in  a  foreign  fliip,  I 
got  a  padage  to  Smyrna.  Here  I  boldly  vjfited 
the  hofpitals  and  prifonr. ;  but  as  foine  accidents 
happened,  a  few  dying  of  the  plague,  feveral 
flirunk  at  me.  I  came  thence  about  a  fort- 
night ago.  As  1  was  in  a  miferable  Turk^s 
boat,  I  was  lucky  in  a  pnfTage  of  fix  days  and  a 
half.  A  family  arrived  juft  before  me,  had 
been  between  two  and  three  months. 

^'  I  am  forry  to  fay  fome  die  of  ';he  plague 
ifbout  us ;  one  is  jufl  carried  before  my  win- 
dow ;  yet  I  viflt  where  none  of  mjy  condudors 
v.'ili  accom.pany  me.  In  fome  hofpitals,  as  in 
the  lazarettos,  and  yefterday  among  the  (Ick 
flaves,  I  have  a  conftant  headach,  but  in  about 
an  hour  after  it  alv/ays  leaves  me.  Sir  Ro- 
bert Ainflie  is  very  kind  ;  but  for  the  above 
and  other  reafons,  I  could  not  lodge  in  his 
houfe.  I  am  at  a  phyfician's,  and  I  keep  fome 
of  my  vifits  afecret.'' 

He  definrned  to  proceed  from  Conftantinople 
over  land  to  Vienna  ;  but,  having  determined, 
upon  reUeftion,  to  obtain   by  perfonal  experi- 


(     87     ) 

ence  the  falkft  information  of  the  mode  of  per- 
forming  quarantine,  he  returned  to  Smyrna, 
where  the  plague  then  was,  for  the  purpoleof 
going  to  Venice  with  a  foul  bill,  that  would 
nccelTarily  fubjea  him  to  the  utincfi  rigor  of 
the  procefs.  His  voyage  v/as  tedious,  and 
rendered  hazardous  by  equinoct'al  ilorms  ;  and 
in  the  courfe  of  it  he  incurred  a  danger  of 
another  kind,  the  Ihip  in  which  he  was  a  pai- 
fencer  beinor  attacked  by  a  Tunilian  corlair, 
which,  after  a  fmart  ikirmiih,  was  beaten  oil* 
by  the  execution  done  by  a  cannon  loaded  wiih 
fpike  nails  and  bits  of  iron,  and  pointed  by  Mr. 
Howard  himfelf.  It  afterwards  appeared  to 
hive  been  the  intention  of  the  captain  lo  biovv 
up  his  veiTel,  rather  than  fubmit  to  be  taken  in- 
to perpetual  flavery.  •  It  v.'as  not  till  the  ciofe 
of  1786  that  ivlr.  Ilov^ard  left  his  difagreeab'c 
quarters  in  the  lazaretto  of  V^cnice.  in  which 
his  health  and  fpirits  fuifei-ed  confiderabiy* 
Thence  he  went  by  Triefte  to  Vienna.  In 
this  capital  he  had  the  honor  of  a  private  con- 
ference with  the  Emperor,  which  was  conduiTt- 
ed  with  the  utmofl  eafe  and  co'jdefceniion  on 
the  part  of  Jofeph  II.  and  equal  freedom  on 
the  part  of  the  EngUrnman.  A  relation  of 
this  inftruftive  fcene  in  his  own  words,  will,  I 
doubt  not,  be  ae-reeable  to  the  reader  :   **  Th« 


(    £S    ) 

Kmperor  ticfired  to  fee  me,  and  I  hud  the  ho- 
Horof  a  private  audience  with  him  of  above  an 
hour  and  an  half.  He  took  ine  by  the  haud 
tliree  limes  in  conv-erfaiion,  and  thanked  nie 
for  the  vifit.  Ke  afterwards  told  our  AmbaiTs- 
dor,  '  That  his  countryman  fpoke  well  for  pri- 
foners;  that  he  ufcd  no  flowers,  which  others 
ever  do,  and  mean  nothing.'  But  his  greatell 
favor  to  me  was  his  immediate  alterations  for 
the  relief  of  the  prifoners*.'*  That  the  late 
Emperor  had  an  ardent  zeal  for  improvement 
Qf  every  kind,  and  a  (Irong  defire  of  promot- 
ing the  profperity  of  his  fubjeds,  will  fcarcely 
be  denied,  even  by  thofe  who  are  the  fevereft 
<renfurers  of  the  mode  in  which  he  condu(S:ed 
his  plans,  and  his*  extreme  mutability  refpef^. 
ing  them.  He  will  alfo  be  honored,  for  the 
readinefs  with  which  he  laid  afide  the  etiquette 
of  his  rank,  on  every  occafion  where  it  ob- 
frruded  him  in  the  acquifition  of  knowledge,  or 
^he  adivity  of  exertion.  Mr.  Howard  return- 
ed through  Germany  and  Holland,  and  arriv- 
ed fafein  England  early  in  1787- 

It  was  during  this  tour,  and  while  he  wasin- 
fohtude  occupying  a  cell  of  the  Venice  lazaret- 

*  JtetiertoMr*  Smiths 


(    89    ) 

to,  that  he  received  from  England   two  p'cces 
of  intelligence,   both  of  which    diftreiied    and 
harralTed  his  mind,  though   the  emotion  they 
excited  muil  apparently    have  been  very   diffe- 
rent.    One  of  thefc  related  to  the  melancholy 
derangement  of  mind  into  which  his   fon   had 
fallen,  and  which,    after  various  inftanccs  of 
flrange  and  unaccountable  behaviour,   termi- 
nated at  length  in  deciJeJ  infanity.     They  who 
cannot  believe   tliat    the   moft   benevolent    of 
mankind  could  be  a  {tern  and  unnatural  parent, 
willfympathize  in  the  angui!h  he  mud  have  felt 
on  hearing  (and  in  fuch  a  fituation  too)  of  an 
event  w^hichblafted  the  deareft  hope;  ot  com- 
fort and  lolace  in  his  declining  years.     I,  who 
have  frequently  heard  him  Ipeak  of  this  ion, 
with  all  the  pride  and  affection  of  the  kind  fa- 
ther of  an  only   child,    cannot  read    without 
flroiig  emotions,  the  expreirior.s  he  ufes  in  wri- 
ting to  his  friend  ralative  to  this  bitter  calami- 
ty.    When  he  concludes  along  letter  upon  va- 
rious topics,  with  the  exclamation,  "  But,  ()  ] 
my  fon,  my  fon!''  I   feem  to  perceive   the  ef- 
forts of  a  manly  mind,  ftriving  by   the   aid  of 
its  internal  refources  to  difpel  a  gicomy  phan. 
torn,  which  was  yet  ever  recurring  to  his  ima- 
gination.    But  in    this   emergency,   as  in.  ^1 
Hz 


(     90     ) 

orhers,  the  confolations  of  religion   were  hi& 
chief  refuge*'. 

The  other  caufe  of  uneafmefs  by  which  his 
mind  was  agitated,  will,  to  many,  appear  a 
very  extraordinary  one  ;  fmee  it  arofe  from  a 
teftimony  of  efleem  and  veneration  in  his  conn- 
trymen,  which  might  be  imagined  to  afiord 
balm  for  his  v/ounded  I'pirit.  During  his  ab- 
fence,  a  fchemeliad  been  fet  on  foot  to  honor 
hiai  in  a  manner  almoft  unprecedented  in  this 
age  and  country.  Without  attempting  to  trace 
it  to  its  origin,  it  may  \\j>&ce  to  fay,  that,  in  a 
periodical  work  of  exteiifive  circulation,  the 
public  v^ere  called  upon  to  teftify  their  refpecT: 
for  Mr.  Howard  by  a  fabfcription,  for  the  pur- 


*  Topro've  that  Mr,  Howard  had  kind  and  to-uder 
fi'L'lings  for  domcflic  as  xuell  as  for  public  occafiuns^  S 
-U'ulJhope,  by  mofpirfctzshe  deeincd  a  fiperfiiioics  tajli* 
Fur  thofe  ivho  rtquire  fiich  proof  I  copy  the  flloiving^ 
palJ'age  fan  cr.e  cf  his  letters  to  Mr.  Smith,  ^^  Mf 
oldfervautSf  John  Prole,  ThomasThcmafon^andJo^ 
feph  Croclford:,  have  had  a  fad  time.  I  hear  they  havo^ 
been  faithful,  wife,  and  prudttit.  Pleafe  to  thank 
the-in  patiicuiarly  in  my  name  for  their  condnCi.  Tzuff 
<ftfii.tr:,  Iar,2pcrfia:hd,  have  aCted  out  cf  regard  ta 
his  s.vcelu'f.'t  mother, — "whoi  I  rejoice j  Is  tkad,"  ^ 


(     9'     ) 

pofe  of  creeling  a  flatue,  or  fome  other  ma- 
nument,  to  his  honor.  The  authors  of  this 
fcherr.e,  though,  doubtlefs,  a«n:uated  by  a  pure 
and  laudable  admiration  of  illuflrious  virtue, 
yet  mufl  have  been  totally  unacquainted  Avith 
Mr.  Howard's  difpofuion  ;  otherwils  they 
would  never  have  thought  of  decorating  a 
man,  whofe  charac'teriftic  feature  had  always 
been  a  folicitnde  to  fhuR  all  notice  and  dillincli- 
on,  with  one  of  the  moft  glaring  and  promi- 
nent marks  of  public  applaufe,  which  might 
put  to  the  blufli  modefty  of  a  much  lefs  deli- 
cate texture  than  his.  The  Engliili  national 
tharader  (if  national  cbara£ler  can  be  faid  to 
belong  to  fb  heterogeneous  a  people)  is  by  no- 
thing fi>  flrongly  marked,  as  by  a  ccynels  and 
referve  v/hich  flirink  from  obiervation,  and 
even  to  thofe  who  are  acting  for  the  public^ 
render  the  gazcof  the  public  eye  painful.  The 
love  of  glory,  which  is  fb  active  a  fentiment 
to  fome  of  our  neighbours,  operates  feebly 
upon  us :  many  do  not  rife  to  it,  and  fome  n-o 
beyond  it.  That  ''  humble  Allen,^'  whofe 
difpofuion  it  was  to  '^  do  good  by  flealth  and 
bhilh  to  find  it  fame/'  was  a  genu"ne  Englifli 
philanthropift  ;  and  fuch  v/as  Mr,  Howard^ 
rendered^  perhaps,  flill  more  averfe  to  public 


prjiife,  by    a    deep    renfe    of  religious     hunii- 
lity. 

A  fimilar  want  of  acquaintance  with  Mr- 
Howard's  defigus,  caufed  the  frropofers  ot  this 
plan  to  attribute  to  him  an  extravagance  of 
philanthropy,  which  could  not  but  appear  ri- 
diculous to  thofe  whofe  judgment  was  not  daz- 
zled by  the  ardor  of  admiration.  It  was  af. 
ferted,  among  real  topics  of  applaufe,  that  he 
was  now  gone  abroad  with  the  view  of  extir- 
r  iting  the  plague  from  Turkey  ;  an  idea  fcarce- 
\y  fo  rational^  the  character  of  that  nation  con- 
fidered,  as  would  be  that  of  a  mifTion  to  con- 
vert the  Grand  Seignior  to  Chriiiianity.  Mr. 
Howard  meant,  undoubtedly,  to  do  all  the 
good  which  fljould  lie  v/ithin  his  compafs  in 
that,  as  in  all  other  countries  which  he  vifited  ; 
but  he  never  was  fo  romantic  as  to  fuppofe  that 
he  could  effecT:  that,  which  wouM  manifeftly 
require  a  total  change  in  the  religious  and  po- 
litical fyftem  of  a  great  empire,  of  all  the  Icaft 
difpofed  to  change. 

The projefl of  a  ftatue,  hov.ever,  was  eager- 
ly adopted ;  the  fubfcription  filled,  and  was 
adorned  with  the  names  of  niinifters,  nobles, 
and  perfons  of  diftinc'don  :  and    a  commitrte' 


(    93    ) 

v/as  appointed  to  tleteTmine  upon  the  bell  »-nouc 
oi'  fulfilling    its  piirpoie.        The    collide ntial 
friends  of  Mr.  Howird  were  in  a  dilagreeabls 
dilcmms  ;  for  as,  on  the  one  hand,  they  could 
not  but  rejoice   in  the   warmth  of  admiration 
which  his  country  teftified  for  iiis   chara»^er  ; 
foj  on  the  other,  they  well  knew  that  its  man- 
ner of  difplay  could   not  fail  to  give   him  ex- 
treme  pain,  and   if   eitecled,  probably    banifii 
him  forever.      On  this  account,  they   did    not 
concur  in  the  fcheme,  and  foine  of  them  ven- 
tured publicly  to   throw  out   objections   to  it. 
Some  of  its  warm  promoters,  in  reply,   talked 
of  forcing  his  modejly,  and  feemed  determined 
at  all  events  to  put  in  execution  their  favorite 
defign.     In  the  mean  while,  Mr.  Howard  wns 
informed   of  this    honorable   perlecution  that 
was  preparing  againft  him  at  home  ;  and   the 
fenfations   this    intelligence   occafiojied    in  his 
bread  arc  fliewn   in  the   following   expreflions 
contained  in  a  letter  to  the  intimate  friend  v.'Iia 
has  already  furnifned  me  with  various  extra^fts, 
'^  Tohaften  to  the  other  very   diftrelling  af- 
fair :   oh,  why  could iiot  my  friends,  who  know 
how  much  I  deteft  fuch  parade,  have    flopped 
fuch  a  hafly  meafure  ! — As  a  private  man,  with 
fome  peculiarities,  I  wiflied  to  retire  into  ob- 
fcurity  and  filence. — lijdeed;  my  friend,  I  can- 


C    94     ) 

not  bear  the  thought  of  being  thus  dragged 
out.  I  immediately  wrote,  and  hope  fome- 
thiug  may  be  done  to  Hop  it.  My  beft  friends 
muft  disapprove  it.  It  deranges  and  confounds 
all  my  fchemes — my  exaltation  is  my  fall,  my 
misfortune*."  The  fame  fentiments  on  thii 
buiinefs  are  expreffed  with  equal  flrength  in 
his  letters  to  Dr.  Price.  Among  other  things 
he  fays,  *^  My  trued,  intimate,  and  heft  friends^ 
have,  I  fee  by  the  papers,  been  i'o  kind  as  not 
tofubfcribe  to  what  you  fo  jullly  term  a  hafty 
meafure.  Indeed,  indeed,  if  nothing  now  can 
be  done,  I  fpeak  from  my  heart,  never  poor 
creature  was  more  dragged  out  in  public. '^ 

That  in  all  this  there  was  no  affectation, 
clearly  appeared  from  the  letter  he  fent  to  th^ 
fubfcribers ;  in  vvhich,  after  expreiliug  Ids  gra- 
titude, he  difplaycd  fo  determined  a  repug- 
nance againil  admitting  of  the  propcfsd  honor, 
deprecating  it  as  the  fevereft    of  punifhments, 

*  He  me?itio72s  in  the  fame  letter,  as  a  proof  how 
oppofite  his  iviflies  were  to  monumental  honors,  that 
before  he  fet  out  on  this  journey,  he  had  given  dirdil- 
,  ons,  that  in  cafe  of  his  death,  his  funeral  expences 
fnould  not  exceed  ten  pounds — that  his  tomb  fnoiild  be  a 
plain  Jlip  of  marble  placed  under  that  of  his  dear  Hen- 
rietta in  Cardington  church,  vjith  this  i'lfcriptinn: 
John  Howard,  died— ^ged— Pvly  hope  is  m  C!irli>. 


(    95     ) 

that  notliing  could  be  urged  in  reply,  and  t'w© 
budnefs  was  dropped-  Of  the  lum  fubici  ibed, 
amoaiiting  to  upwards  of  1500/.  Mr.  Howard 
refuied  Lo  dTecl*  the  difpofal  in  any  manner, 
and  begged  it  might  no  longer  be  termed  the 
Ho'diardianfuncL  A  part  of  it  was  reckimcd 
by  the  fubfcribers,  but  a  confiderable  fhare  re- 
mained in  a  Itock  ;  and,  fince  Mr.  Howard*s 
death,  it  has  been  refolved  to  employ  it  in  con- 
ferriniT  thofe  honors  on  his  memory  which  he 
would  not  accept  while  living.  This  intention 
is  in  every  refpecl  ftridly  proper;  and,  as  the 
noble  edifice  of  St.  Paul's  is  at  length  d^^ftined 
to  receive  national  monuments,  no  commence- 
ment can  be  more  aufpicious^  than  Vv'ith  a  name 
which  will  ever  ftand  lb  diftingnlihed  among 
thofe, 

Qjiijiii  memores  alios  fecere  merendo. 

To  refume  the  narrative  of  Mr.  Howard's 
public, life  : — After  his  return  in  1787,  betook 
a  fhort  repofe,  and  then  went  over  ta  Ireland, 
and  vifited  mod  of  the  county  gaols  and  char- 
ter fchools,  and  came  back  by  Scotland.  In 
I7881ie  renewed  his  vifit  to  Ireland,  and  com- 
pleted his  furvey  of  its  gaols,  hofpitals,  and 
fchools.  I  (liall  lay  before  the  reader  part  of  a 
letter  to  Dr.  Price,  dated  from  Djblin^  March 


(    9<5    ) 

2  3;  of  this  year.     '*  My  journey  Into  this  coun- 
try «vas  to  make  a  report  of  the  ftate   of   the 
charter  fchools,  which  charity  has  been  long 
neglected  and   abufed  ;  as    indeed  nioll  public 
inUitutions  are  made  private  emoluments,  one 
faeliering  himfelf  under  the  name  of  a  biiliop, 
another  under  that  of  a  lord  ;  and  for  eledi- 
onecring  interefi:  breaking  down  all  barriers  of 
honor  and  honefty.  However,  Parliament  now 
feems  determined  to  know  how  its  grants  have 
been  employed.     I  have,  fince  my  vifits  to  tliele 
fchools  in  1782,  been  endeavouring  to  excite 
the  attention  of  Parliament;  and  fomecircum- 
flances  being  in  my  favor,  a  good  Lord  Lieute- 
nant, a    worthy     Secretary  (an  old    acquain- 
tance,) and   the  firft  Secretary  of  State,  the 
Provoft,  a  fteady  friend,  I   muft  flill  purfue  ; 
fo  I  next  week  fet  out  for  Connaught  and  other 
remote   parts  of  this  kingdom,  which  indeed 
are  more  barbarous  than  Ruflia-     By  my  fre- 
quent journies  my  flrengthis  fomewhat  abated, 
but  not  my  courage  or  zeal  in  the  caufe  I   am 
engaged  in."     During    thefe    two  years,   he 
likewife  repeated    his  examination  of  all  rhe 
county  gaols,  mofi:   of  the  Bridewells,  and  the 
inHrmaries  and  hcfcitals  of  England,  qnd  of 


(    97     ) 

the  hulks  on  the  Thames,  at  Portfmouth  and 
Plymouth*. 

The     great  variety  of    matter  collected  m 
thefe  journies  was  methodized  and  put  to  the 

*  //  was,  I  believe  y  during  his  ahfence  in  feme  cf  the 
toun  of  this  period,  that  an  incidjut  happened  ivhich 
the  reader,  I  hope,  will  think  well  worth  relating.     A 
very  rejpeiiable-looking  elderly  gentleman  on  horfe- 
back,  with  afervantyflopt  at  the  inn  nearej}  Mr.How- 
ard\  houfe  at  Cardington,  and  entered  into  converfa- 
tion  with  the  landlord  concerni;ig  Inm.     He  obferved 
that  charaders  often  appeared  very  well  at  a  dijlance, 
which  could  not  bear  clofe  infpedion  ;  he  had  therefore 
come  to  J  Jr.  Howard's  rejidence  in  order  to  fatisfy  him- 
felf  concerning  him.     The  gentleman  then,  accompa- 
nied by  the  innkeeper j  zuent  to  the  houfe,  and  looked 
through  it,   with   the  offices    and  gardens,  which  he 
found  in  perfdi  order.     Ha  next  enquired  into  Mr, 
Howard's  character  as  a  landlord,  which  was   ju/Ily 
reprefented ;    and  fever al   neat  houfes  which  he  had 
built  for  his  tenants  were  fiewn  hit?i.     The  gentle  matt 
returned  to  his   inn,  declaring  himfelf  now  fatiifie^ 
2vith  the  truth  of  all  he    had  hea'-d  about  Howard, 
This  refpedable  Jiranger  was  no  other  than  Lord  MoU' 
boddo  ;  and  Mr,  Howard  was  much  Jlattered  zuith  the 
vifit,  and  praifed  h  s  Loril/liip's  good  fenfe  in  taking 
fuch  a  method  of  cot?ungat  the  truthy  Jin^c  ha  thought 

it  wjrth  his  trouble, 

1 


(    98    ) 

prefs  in  i/Sp-  It  compofes  a  quarto  volume, 
beautifully  printed,  and  decorated  with  a  num- 
ber of  fine  plates,  which,  as  ufual,  are  prefent- 
ed  to  the  public;  and  fo  eager  were  the  pur- 
chafers  of  books  to  partake  of  the  donation, 
that  all  the  copies  were  almoft  immediately- 
bought  up.  The  title  is,  An  account  of  the 
principal  Lazarettos  in  Europe,  with  various  pa- 
pers relative  to  the  Plague  ;  together  with  fur- 
ther  ohfervations  on  fome  foreign  Prifons  and 
Hofpitals  ;  luith  additional  remarks  on  the  pre- 
fent  Jlate  of  thofe  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland. 
Of  this  work  I  /hall  proceed  to  give  a  brief 
analyfis. 

The  firfl  fed:ion  relates  to  Lazarettos,  be- 
ginning with  that  of  Marfeilles,  in  which  city 
the  horrid  ravages  of  the  plague,  within  the 
prefent  century,  have  left  ftrong  impreflions 
of  dread  of  that  deflroyer  of  mankind.  Thofe 
of  Genoa,  Leghorn,  Malta,  Zante,  Venice, 
and  Triefte  follow;  the  difcriptions  of  which 
are  illullrated  by  excellent  views  and  plans*. 

*  In  one  of  his  letters,  Mr,  Howard  mentior.s  hav- 
ing  met  -with  a  young  Frenchman  going  to  the  academy 
at  Rome,  whaforafewfequins  thankfully  worked  un- 
der  his  eye^  fo- that  he  can  attejl  the  accuracy  of  his 
draughts,  Several  of  ths plates  wen  engraved  in  Hol- 
land, 


(    99    ) 

Of  the  lazarettos  of  Venice  a  very  particular 
account  is  given,  comprifmg  the  mode  of  re- 
ception which  he  himfelf  experienced,  the  re- 
gulations of  every  kind,  relpecling  officers  and 
their  duty,  vifitation  of  lliips,  manner  of  per- 
forming quarantine,  and  the  expurgation  of 
goods  of  all  clafTes,  &c.  All  thefe  appear  to 
have  been  devifed  with  much  judgment  and 
prudence  ;  but  Mr.  Howard  is  obliged  to  give 
teflimony  to  various  inftances  of  abufe  and  ne- 
glcd,  which  greatly  impair  the  utility  of  this 
inftitution,  as  well  as  of  many  others  in  that 
once  celebrated  and  potent  republic. 

Se£t.  If.  contains  propofed  regulations,  and 
a  new  plan  for  a  lazaretto  ;  followed  by  ob- 
fervations  on  the  importance  of  fuch  an  efta- 
bliJhmentin  England.  In  thefe  are  introduc- 
ed two  letters  on  the  fubjecl  to  Mr.  Howard  ; 
one,  a  long  and  argumentative  one  from  the 
Engliili  merchants  refiding  at  Smyrna ;  the 
other,  confirming  their  opin  on,  from  thofe  of 
Salonica.  Thefe  commercial  papers  appear 
worthy  of  the  mofl  ferious  attention  ;  and  in- 
deed it  is  wonderful  that  a  nation  which  boafts 
of  good  fenfe  and  knowledge,  fliould  fo  long 
have  remained  patient  under  a  police  rcfpcding 
this  matter,  which   aniwers  no   effectual  ptjr- 


C      lOO      ) 

pofe  of  fecuriry,  but  feems  only  calculated  to 
difcourage  comn^^ce,  and  produce  fees  to  per- 
fonsin  office,  by  the  mofl  barefaced  iropofi- 
tions*. 

Sed.  III.  confifts  of  papers  relative  to  the 
plague.  They  commence  with  a  fet  of  an- 
swers, by  different  medical  praditioners,  to 
queries  with  which  Mr.  Howard  wasfurniflied 
by  the  late  Dr.  Jebb  and  myfeif.  I  niuft  ob- 
lerve,  however,  that  all  the  queries  do  not  ap- 
pear, fome  of  them  having  been  mifapprehend- 
ed,  or  imperfedly  anfwered,  particularly  fuch 
as  related  to  the  difcrimination  of  other  fevers 
of  the  typhus  genus  from  the  plague.  Thefe 
replies  will  probably  be  thought  to  add  little 
to  the  ftock  of  knowledge  we  poffefTed  refpect- 
ing  this  difeafe  ;  yet  it  is  of  fome  importance, 
that  the  leiding  fads  on  which  all  modes  of 
prefervaiion  muft  be  founded,  viz.  that  the 
plague  isnotknoA^n  to  arife  fpoinaneoufly  any 
where,  but  is  always  to  be  traced  to  contagi- 

*  Such  is  the  negligence  and abfurdity  refpeHingtht 
regulations  of  the  quarantine  of  per  fans,  that  1  have 
been  ajfured,  a  naval  of  leer  ha:,  been  called  out  of  the 
Opera  houfe,  to  go  on  board  his  flip  and  perform  his 
quarantine^ 


(      10'      ) 

on  ;  and  that  the  diftance  to  which  its  infecbidn 
extends  through  the  atmofphere  is  very  fmall, 
are  eftabhOied  in  them  by  general  agreement. 
The  '^  Abftrad  of  a  curative  and  prefervativc 
method  to  be  obferved  in  Peftilential  Contagi- 
ons/' communicated  from  the  Office  of  Health 
in  Venice  to  the  court  of  Ruflia  ;  and  the 
"  Abridged  Relation  of  the  Plague  of  Spalato 
in  Dalmatia,  in  1784."  both  extracted  from 
the  Italian  originals  by  myfelf,  are  the  other 
papers  in  this  feclion.  In  the  latter,  the  medi- 
cal reader  will  be  (truck  with  the  equivocal  na- 
ture of  the  fyniptonjs  fuppofed  to  difcriminate 
this  difeafe,  and  the  very  gradual  progrefs 
from  fufpicion  to  certainty  as  toitsprefence. 

Secft.  IV.  relates  to  foreign  Prifons  and 
Hofpitals.  The  employment'  of  the  gally-flaves 
in  the  arfenal  of  Toulon,  is  the  moft  obferva' 
ble  circumftance  relative  to  tiie  fouth  of  France. 
Under  Italy  there  is  a  pleafing  account  of  the 
improvements  at  Florence,  in  confequence  of 
the  humane  attention  of  the  Grand  Duke 
Leopold,  the  prefenr  Emperor.  This  prince^ 
befides  other  inftances  of  liberal  favor  to  Mr^ 
Howard's  inquiries,  caufed  a  copy  of  his  new 
code  of  laws  to  be  prefented  to  him,  of  which, 

on  his  return,  Mr.  Howard  had  a  tranllatioa 
I   2 


(     ro2     ) 

printed,  and  diftributed   among  the   hends  of 
'the  lav/  and  other  perfons,  in  and  out  oi  Par- 
liament.    Of  the  Grand   Duke    Mr.   toward 
never  (poke   without   the    vvarmeft  expreffions 
of  gratitude  and  refpecl,  calling  him  a  glorious 
prince,  and  declaring  that  nothing  could   ex- 
ceed his  attention  to  whiitever  might  promote 
the  hsppinefs  and  profperity  of  his  people.   It  is 
€arneftly  to  be  wilhed,  that  the  fame  regard  to 
the  principles  of  jnftice  and  humanity  may  ac- 
company him  in  the  very  elevated  flation  which 
is  now  afljgned  him  by  Providence. 

Malta,  that  celebrated  feat  of  piracy,  dig- 
nified by  the  fpirit  of  chivalry  and  devotion^ 
affords  a  new  and  curious  article.  Its  great 
hofpital,  which  boafts  of  lodging  the  fick  in  a 
palace,  and  ferving  them  in  plate,  is  here  def- 
cribed  by  one  whofe  peaetrating  eye  could  dif- 
tinguifh  between  parade  and  comfort ;  and  it 
Bndergoes  fome  fevere  ccnfure.  Mr.  Howard 
Tifited  it  before  he  delivered  his  letter  of  re- 
commendation from  Sir  W.  Hamilton  to  the 
€rand  Mafter,  as  well  as  frec^uently  after- 
vards. 

The  Turkifh  dominions,  whence  all  light, 
Bberty,  and  public  fpirit,  are  moft  effeduallir 


(     '03     ) 

excluded,  could  not  be  expected  to  yield  in- 
ftrudion  in  police  to  Europe.  Yet  debtors 
and  felons  are  there  coniiiied  in  leparate  pri- 
fons,  a  refinement  to  which  this  country  is  not 
yet  entirely  arrived.  The  hospitals  in  the  great 
coanuercial  city  of  Smyrna  i'eein  all  to  belong  to 
the  Franks,  Greeks,  and  Jews.  Even  at  Con- 
ftantinople  the  Turks  have  few  hofpitals,  and 
thofe  in  a  wretched  (late.  The  hoipitals  for 
lunatics  there,  are,  indeed,  examples  of  ad- 
mirable conllru(5lion,  but  neglected  in  their 
management.  Yet^  amidlt  this  dlfregard  of 
the  human  fpecies,  Mr.  Howard  found  an 
afylum  for  cats.  Such  arc  the  contradictions 
cf  man  ! 

The  inftitutions  of  Vienna  fliew  that  fingu- 
lar  mixture  of  clemency  and  rigour,  of  care  and 
neglect,  that  might  bet-xpcded  from  the  inde- 
cifive  character  of  the  fovereign.  The  perpe* 
tiial  confinement  of  criminals  in  dark,  damp 
dungeons,  as  a  fubftitute  for  capital  punifii- 
ment,  manifeftly  appears  to  be  as  little  an  ad- 
vantage on  the  fide  of  lenity,  as  it  is  on  that  of 
public  utility.  The  much  beaten  ground  of 
Holland  ftill  affords  new  oblervations,  particu- 
larly refpedting  the  legal  procefs  foi*  debt^  in 
life  there. 


(     104     ) 

Se(ft.  V.  relates  to  Scotland  ;  and   what  is 
new  chiefly  regards  the  charitable  inftitutions 
of  Edinburgh.     As  to  the  prifons  there,  Mr. 
Howard  was   obliged   to   remark  to  the  Lord 
Provoft,  '^that  the  fplendid  improvements  car- 
rying on    in  their    places    of  entertainment, 
ftreets,  fquares,  bridges,  &c.  feemed  to  occu- 
py all  the   attention  of  the  gentlemen  in  office, 
to  the  toial  ncglecl  of  this  elTential   branch   of 
the  police."     This  weighty  animadverfion  de- 
ferves  ferious  notice,  as  a  flrong   confirmation 
of  thofe  charges  againft   the    fpirit  of  luxury, 
v/hich  various  modern  philofophers   have  been 
fond  of  turning  into  ridicule.     In  faft,    a  fpirit 
which  increafes  perfonal  wants   and   indulgen- 
cies,  and  augments  the  diftance  between  the 
higher  and  lower  orders  of  fociety,  cannot  but 
interfere  with  the  duties,  as  well  of  charity, 
as  of  juftice,  which  are  owing  to  our   fellow- 
creatures  of  every  condition.     The  arts  of  luxr 
ury  may  promote  knowledge,  and  this  may  fe- 
condarily  be  employed  with  advantage  on  ob- 
jeds  of  general  utility  ;  but  it  is  not  likely  that 
the  fame  perfons   whofe   minds   are  occupied 
with  fchemes   of  fplendor  and  elegant   amufe- 
ment,  fhould  beftow   attention  on   the  coarfe 
and  difgufting  offices  annexed  to  the  care  of  the 
poor  and  miferable. 


(     I05     ) 

The  fubjed  of  Seel:.  VI.   is   the   Iriili   Pri- 
fons  and  Hofpitals.     Mr.  Howard    obferved  a 
very  liberal  and  humane  fpirit  with   refpecl  to 
prifons,  prevailing    among    the    gentlemerv  of 
that  country,  difplayed  in  the  crecflion  of  many 
new  gaols,  the  plans    of  which,  however,  he 
could  not  approve.     The    evils   occafioned   by 
-the  ufe   of  fpiritous   liquors,  particularly    ap- 
parent in  Ireland,  draw  from  him  much  com- 
plaint and  cenfure.     It  is  a  fliocking  coufidera- 
tion  that  the   intereft    of  the   revenue   fliould> 
in  this  matter,  be  fuifered  to  prevail  over  the 
good  of  the  nation  ;  and    nothing  can  dcferve 
feverer    animadverlion,    than    the   condu«5l  df 
thofe  fervants  of  the  public,  the   commifTion- 
crs  of  excife,  who  prefume  to  grant  licences  to 
tippling  houfes  in  vilbges,  contrary  tx>  the  de- 
clared wiih  and  opinion  of  gentlemen  who  re- 
fide  on  the  fpot,  and  are  w  itnefTes  of  their  fa- 
tal confequences  to  the  health  and   morals   of 
the  neighbourhood.     This   is  indeed,  revcrf- 
ing   the  order   of  civil  government,  and  ele- 
vating fubaltern  interefls  to  ruling   principles* 
AH  the  hofpitals  in  Dublin  are  noticed  by  Mr. 
Howard,  Vv'iih  remarks.     He  then   proceeds  lo 
a  furvey  of  all  the  county  gaols  and  hofpitals  in 
the   kingdom.      The-  county    hofpitals   are  in 
fad  national   inflitutions^  maintained  in  great 


(     '06     ) 

pnrtby  the  county  rates  and  king's  letter,  and 
therefore  are  not  fo  exaclly  fuperiRter.ded  as 
thofein  England,  which  depend  upon  private 
fubfcription  for  their  fupport.  The  confe> 
quence  of  this  is  ihev/n  in  the  wretched  ftate 
in  which  the  greater  part  of  them  were  found.; 
the  abodes  of  filth,  hanger,  negled,  and  eve- 
ry fpecies  of  abufe.  Yet  a  fpirit  of  improve* 
mcnt  was  beginning  to  operate  among  them, 
te  which  this  free  ftatement  of  their  defects 
would,  doubtlefs,  much  contribute. 

Se(fl.  VII.  is  devoted  to  an  account  of  the 
Charter- fchools  in  Ireland.  The  pubhc  de- 
tedion  of  mifreprefentations  and  abufes  in  this 
great  national  objed:  had  excited  the  attention 
of  feveral'of  the  leading  men  ;  and  Mr.  How- 
ard had  been  delired  to  laj'^  his  obervations  be- 
fore the  committee  of  fifteen  in  Dublin,  who 
have  the  fuperintendance  of  them.  He  alfo 
made  a  report  of  their  (late  before  the  Irilh 
Houfe  of  Commons ;  and,  having  entered  hear, 
tily  into  the  fubje6l,  he  refolved  to  give  it  a 
thorough  invePiigation.  He  therefore  extend- 
ed his  vifits  to  the  whole  cf  them,  in  number 
thirty-eight,  and  to  the  four  provincial  nur- 
feries  from  which  they  are  fupplied.  The  re- 
fult  of  his  obfervations  is  here  given,  with  free 


(      «07     ) 

cenfures  of  defects,    and  candid  acknowledg- 
ments of  improvement.     Ke  concludes  the    ac- 
count with  Ibme  general  remarks  on  the  infti- 
tution,  and  fome  hints  for   rendering  it   more 
ufeful  ;  and,  after  exprefling  a  wifli,  that  the 
benefits  of  education  were  more  generally  ex- 
tended over  Ireland  than  they  can  be  by  thofe 
Ichools,  he  difplays  the  enlarged  liberality  of  his 
mind  in  the  followino-  Sentence,  which  contains 
a  maxim  worthy  of  being  written  in  letters  of 
gold.  *^  I  hope  I  ihall  net  be  thought,  as  a  Pro- 
teilant  difienter,  indillerent  to    the  Proteftant 
caufe,  when  lexprefs  my  willi,that  thefediflinc- 
tions(betwcen  Catholic  and  Proteflant) were  lefs 
regarded  in  beftowing  the  advantages  of  edu- 
cation ;  and  that  the  increafe  of  Proteftantifm 
w^ere  chiefly    trufted  to    the    dilTemi nation  of 
knowledge  and  found  morals.'' 

This  feflion  is  concluded,  with  an  example 
ftrikingly  illuftrative  of  the  eafe  with  which 
education  may  be  extended  to  the  whole  body 
of  poor,  afforded  by  the  truftees  of  the  blue- 
coat-hofpital  in  Chefler,  whofe  report  of  their 
plan  and  its  fuccefs  is  here  copied :  and  alfo, 
with  the  rules  of  the  Quaker's-fchool  at  Ack- 
worth,  excellently  adapted  to  promote  that 
decent  and  regular  deportment  in  youth  which 


(     '08    ) 

Mr.  Howard    Co  inuch  admired.     Ireland  has 
reafon  to  think  herfelf  peculiarly    indebted    to 
him  for  his  laborious  inveftigations  and  free  re- 
marks on  her  public  inftitutions.     No  country 
certainly  wanted  them  more  ;  and  none,  I  be- 
lieve, is  better  diipofed  to  profit  by  them.     She 
has  not  been  ungrateful  to  her  benefador  (that 
was  never  her  character)    for   in   no  country 
is  the  memory  of  Mr.   Howard  more  revered- 
During  his  journies  there,  feveral  of  the  prin- 
cipal tovv'ns  prefented  him  with  their  freedom; 
and  the  Univerlity  of  Dublin,  with    great    li- 
berality, conferred  on   him    the    honorary  de- 
gree of  Dodor  of  Laws.    Mr.  Howard's  aver- 
fion  to  ail  kinds  of  diftinction,  and  the  natural 
diflikeof  changing  his  ufual  defignation  at  an 
advanced  age,  prevented  him  from  publicly  ^f.. 
fuming  this  refpedable  title. 

Sed.  Vni.  relates  to  English  Prifons  and 
Hofpitals.  The  prifons  are  all  fpecihed  in  the 
order  of  the  former  works,  with  fuch  remarks 
as  the  alterations  made  in  them,  and  other 
circumftances,  fuggefted.  Many  of  the  def- 
criptions  of  hofpitals  are  new^  particularly  an 
account  of  all  the  hofpitals  for  the  lick  in  the 
metropolis.  It  is  probable  that  few  inflitutions 
of  the  kind  in  Europe  are  better  conduced  thaa 


f    ^^9    ) 

tfiefe  ;  yet  tliere  are  defeds,  both  general  and 
particular,  which  Mr.  Howard  has  briefly- 
pointed  out,  and  which  claim  the  attention  of 
thofe  who  are  really  intereftcd  in  the  utility  of 
thefe  noble  charities,  and  do  not  confider  them 
merely  as  fubfervient  to  private  eniolunient. 
in  a  note  under  the  county  gaol  in  South w ark, 
he  mentions  in  ftrong  terns  of  pity  and  indig- 
nation the  ftate  of  fifty  felons,  fenrenced  for 
tranfportadon  in  the  courfe  of  the  preceding 
five  years,  and  kept  in  the  moil  wretched  con- 
dition till  an  opportunity  Ihould  offer  of  put- 
ting their  fentence  in  execution.  This  necef- 
fary  dehiy  of  punifliment  muft  ever  be  a  ftrong 
objection  to  the  fcheme  of  diftant  banifliment, 
and  gives  a  decided  preference,  both  in  juftice 
and  policy,  to  the  plan  of  penitentiary  houfes, 
.fo  thoughtief-jly  abandoned  for  the  Botany  bay 
fettleinent.  The  injuftice,  indeed,  of  the  in- 
termediate confmement,  islelTenedby  an  acl  of 
24th  Geo.  III^  which  directs,  that  all  the 
time  during  v/hich  a  convid  ihali  have  conti- 
nued in  gaol  under  fenteiice  of  tranfportation, 
fhall  be  deducted  out  of  the  term  of  his  tranf- 
portation. Still,  however,  fuch  confinement 
is  a  different,  and,  in  thefe  circuinltances,  a. 
much  worle,  punilhment,  than  that  to  which 
they  are  fentenced. 

K 


t      no     ) 

The  countv  Bridewell  at  Readino-  occafions 
a  note  which  deferves  particular  attention. 
Mr.  Howard  has  been  fuppofed  tj:ie  peculiar 
patron  of  folitary  confinement,  and  his  recom- 
mendation has  caufed  it  to  be  adopted  in  vari- 
ous places,  but  to  a  degree  beyond  his  intenti- 
ons. He  well  knew,  from  manifold  obfervati- 
on,  that  human  nature  could  not  endure,  for  a 
long  time,  confinement  in  perfect  folitude, 
without  finking  under  the  burden.  He  had 
feen  the  moft  dcfperate  and  refractory  in  fo- 
reign countries  tamed  by  it;  h^  therefore  pro- 
pofedin  our  ownprifons  a  temporary  treatment 
of  thiskind,  as  the  moft  efFeclual,  yet  lenient, 
mode  of  fubduing  the  ferocity  of  our  crimi- 
nals :  but  he  never  thought  of  its  being  made 
the  fentence  of  offenders  during  the  whole 
term  of  their  imprifonmeilt  ;  fuch  being  not 
only  extreme  and  fcarcely  juftlfiable  feverity^ 
but  inconfiftent  with  the  defign  of  reclaiming 
them  to  habits  of  induftry  by  hard  labour.  He, 
indeed,  univerfally  approved  of  nod:urnal  fo- 
litude, as  affording  an  opportunity  for  ferious 
refiecflion,  and  preventing  thofe  plans  of  mif- 
chief,  and  mutual  encouragements  to  villainy, 
which  are  certain  to  take  place  among  crimi- 
nals, when  left  to  herd  together  without  in- 
fpeftion. 


(  I"  ) 

The  employment  of  convids  in  building  a 
new  county  gaol  at  Oxford,  with  their  gene- 
ral good  behaviour  in  it,  affords  an  example 
of  the  poiTibiJity  and  probable  good  effeft  of 
occupying  them  inufcful  labour  at  home. 

The  fever  wards  of  the  Chefler  infirmary 
are  very  properly  noticed,  as  a  fpirired  inAance 
of  extending  relief  to  perfons  fuilering  under 
a  dangerous  and  infectious  dii'eafe,  and,  by 
proper  regulations,  rendering  the  contagion 
harmlefs  to  others,  I  am  perfua-ded,  that  the 
plague  itfelf,  thus  managed,  might  be  prevent- 
ed from  communicatino:  itfelf  even  to  thofe  un- 
to 

der  the  fame  roof  with  it.  Mr.  Howard  was 
happy  to  find  in  this  city  a  chara(fler  congenial 
with  his  own  in  the  ardour  of  active  benevo- 
lence, and  diftinguiflied  by  various  fuccefsful 
plans  for  the  public  good.  To  the  medical 
reader,  as  well  as  to  many  others,  it  will  he 
unneceffary  to  mention  the  name  of  Dr.  Hay. 
garth. 

A  particular  account  of  all  tlie  hulks  is  given 
at  the  end  of  the  Englifli  gaols-  The  conditi- 
on of  thefe  floating  Bridewells  was  improved 
in  feveral  refpecis  fince  Mr.  Howard's  former 
vilits  J  but,  if  confidered   in  any   other  light 


f  11^  ) 

than-  as  temporary  places  of  confinement  till 
fonie  belter  plan  is  adopted,  they  are  liable  to 
many  obje^ions^  which  are  here  flated. 

Ptemarks   on   Penitentiary    Houfes    follow* 
In  thefe  the  writer  f^aces   his  ideas  concerning 
their  nature  and  objed,  gives  the  reafons  which 
Induced  Dr.  Fothergill  and  himfelf  to   fix   on 
ihe  rituation  of  Iflington,  and    relates  his   re- 
fignaticn  of  the  oiRce  of  Siipervifor,  as  fornier- 
jy  mentioned.     The  general  heads  oi  regula- 
tions propoied  for  fuch  houfes  in  the  lail  Ap- 
pendix, are  here  reprinted  ;   and  a  plate  is  add., 
cd  explanatory  of  the  phn  of  biiild'ng  he  ap- 
proves.    Ie  is  on  every  account  to  be  lamented^ 
that  Mr.  Howard  fliould  not  have  had    the  fa- 
tisfactlon  of  feeing  one  of  his  favourite  defigns, 
the  fubjecl  of  his  moii:  laborious  refearch  and 
matureil  refle6tiQ;i,    carried     into    execution. 
The  objeclion  of  expence  was  farely  unworthy 
of  a    country  like  this,  whofe  profperity   ^nd 
refources  are  fo  magnificently  difplayed,  when 
the  provinces  of  Holland,  petty  ftates  cf  Ger- 
many, and  cantons  of   Switzerland,   have  not 
been  afraid  of  incurring  it.     Whether  the  pre- 
ferred fcheme  of  colonizing    widi  convicls   at 
the  Antipodes,  has  the  advantage  of  ii  in  this 


(     113     ) 

refpe^l,  the  public  are  now  pretty  well  able  to 
determine. 

In  the  remarks  on  the  gaol  fever,  repeated 
with  a  little  variation  from  the  laft  publication, 
Ave  are  informed,  that  fince  1782,  when  the 
prifons  of  this  kingdom  were  entirely  free  from 
this  difeaie,  feveral  fatal  and  alarming  inllances 
of  it  had  occurred.  Its  appearance  and  fre- 
quency will  probably  much  depend  upon  the 
epidemic  conftitution  of  the  year,  as  long  as  its 
occaiional  caufes  continue  to  fubfift  ;  but  that 
proper  care  and  regulations  in  prifons  might 
almoft  entirely  extirpate  thele  caufes,  there 
feems  no  reafon  to  doubt. 

The  concluiion  exprelTes  the  writer's  fatis- 
fa61ion  in  that  humane  and  liberal  fpirit  which 
hasfo  muclralleviated  the  diftrefs  of  prifoncrs  j 
but  laments,  that  here  its  exertions  feem  to 
flop,  and  that  little  or  nothing  is  done  towards 
that  moft  important  object,  the  reformation  of 
olfe-iders.  From  clofe  oblervation  he  is  con- 
vinced, that  the  vice  of  drunkennefs  i^  ibe 
root  of  all  the  diforders  of  our  prifons,  and  that 
fame  eifedual  means  to  eradicate  it.are  necefTa- 
ry,  if  we  mean  to  prefcrve  the  health-.-,  and 
aiiiend  tlie  morals  of  prifoners*     Jvlr.  Howard 


(     114     ) 

tkferefore  fubjoins,  as  his  final  legacy  towards 
I  he  improvement  of  this  branch  of  police,  th« 
draught  of  a  bill  for  the  better  regulation  of 
gaols,  and  the  prevention  of  drunkennefs  and 
rioiing  in  them..  Of  this^  the  leading  claules 
are  framed  for  the  purpofe  of  ablblutely  pro- 
hibiting the  entrance  of  any  liquor  into  a  gaol 
except  milk,  whey,  buttermjlk,  and  water,  uii- 
lefs  in  cafe  ofricknefs  and  medical  prelcriptiou* 
lie  v/as  fully  fenlible  that,  in  this  (ree  livijig 
couniry,  the  denial  of  even  fmall  beer  would 
be  deemed  a  fpecies  of  cruelty  ;  and  he  doubt- 
ed not  that  it  ^vould  go  far  to  lofe  him,  in  the 
popular  efi:imat:on,  the  title  of  the  Prifoner^s 
Friend:  but  as  attaining  a  popularity  of  that 
kind  was  not  his  original  object,  fo  he  could: 
hziir  to  forfeit  it,  while  confcious  of  ftill  pur. 
filing  the  real  good  of  thofe  unhappy  people. 
Being  convinced  from  experience,  that  there- 
was  no  medium  in  this  matter,  and  that  if  ftrong 
Honors  were  at  all  admitted  into  prifons,  no 
©ounds  could  be  fet  to  their  ufe,  fie  thought  it 
'  Fi-^bt  to  deny  an  indulgence  to  a  fev/^  for  the 
Fake  of  the  ellential  advantage  of  the  many* 
Debtor^,  then,  while  the  fanie  place  of  con- 
finement ferve  for  them  and  felons,  muff  be 
fubjecled  to  the  fame  reflraintc  And,  to  take; 
©S"  the  objedion  of  ihe  haxdfliip  th:s  v/oulu  ira*- 


C     "5    ) 

pofe  upon  innocent  debtors,  it  w-as  greatly  his 
widi,  that  ibch  alterations  liioiUJ  take  place  in. 
our  law  for  debt,  that  none  but  fraiiJuleiit 
debtors  iliould  be  liable  to  imprilbnment,  \\  ho^ 
he  juftly  obl'erves,  are  really  criminals.  He 
luppofes  that  the  gentlemen  of  the-facnlty  wilt 
GDnderan  the  total  reje61:ion  of  fermented  li- 
quors from  the  diet  uf  prifoners,  under  the  no- 
tion oF  their  being  ufeful  as  antiiepiics  ;  and  I 
confefs  I  was  one  who  pleadifd  with  him  on 
this  fubjed  :  but  he  anfwered  me  witii  argu- 
ments which  he  has  here  llatcd,  and  they  are 
worthy  of  couiideration.  After  all,  many  will 
iuppofe,  that  in  his  feelings,  b9th  with  refpect 
to  tliefe  privations,  and  to  his  propofed  indul- 
geiicies  of  tea,  and  other  vegetable  articles,  ha 
was  in  fome  meafure  under  the  influence  of  his 
own  peculiar  habits  of  life  ;  fo  natural  is  it  for 
our  judgment  of  particulars  to  be  warped,  when, 
our  general  principles  remain  fixed  and  unal- 
tered. The  draught  of  a  bill  will,  Iprefume,, 
appear  in  moft  re fpeds  excellent ;  and  the  greac 
purpofe  of  prefervingfobriety  in  gaols,  cannot;^ 
furely,  be  too  much  inllllcd  on- 

IVIr.  TToward^s  leading  ideas  on  this  fubjecl: 
were  formed  fome  years  before.  In  May- 
27 ^'/>  tlie  Loud  diaucellcr;,  in  aa  excelleai- 


(     1.6    } 

fpeech  on  apropofed  Infolvent  Bilt,  after  dif- 
culTiiig  the  point  of  impriromnent  for  debt,  and 
the  nature  ot  fuch  bills,  proceeded  to  fome. 
confiderations  refpeding  the  management  and 
difcipUne  of  our  prifons.  He  faid,  *'  he  had 
lately  had  the  honor  of  a  converfation  upon 
the  fubjecl,  with  a  gentleman  who  was,  of  all 
others,  the  befl  qualified  to  treat  of  it — he 
meant,  Mr.  Howard,  whofe  humanity,  great  as 
it  was,  ^vas  at  leait  equalled  by  his  wifdom  ; 
for  a  more  judicious,  or  a  more  fenfible  reafon- 
er  upon  the  topic^  he  never  had  converTed  with. 
His  own  ideas  had  been  turned  to  folitarY  im- 
prifonment  and  a  {\n£t  regimen,  as  a  puniHi- 
ment  for  debt ;  and  that  notion  had  exadly 
correfponded  with  Mr.  Howard's,  who  had 
agreed  with  him,  that  the  great  objecl  ought 
to  be,  when  it  became  necelTary  to  feclude  a 
man  from  fociety,  and  imprifon  him  for  debt, 
to  take  care  that  he  came  out  of  prifon  no 
worfe  a  man  in  point  of  healdi  and  morals  than 
he  went  in.''  His  Lordihip  afterwards  recited 
a  ftory  which  Mr.  Howard  had  told  him,  in 
proof  ot  the  corruption  and  licentioufners  of 
our  prifons.  A  Quaker,  he  faid,  called  upon 
him  to  go  with  him  and  witnefs  a  {cene  which, 
if  he  were  to  go  lin^ly,  would,  he  feared,  b« 
too  much  foi'  his  feelings:  it  was,  to   viiit  a 


friend  in  diflrefs — aperlbn  who  had  lately  gone 
into  the  King's-biinch  priibiu  V/hen  they  ar- 
rived, they  found  the  man  half-drunk,  paying 
at  fives.  Though  greatly  fliocked  at  the  cir- 
cumftance,  they  afted  him  to  go  with  them  ta 
the  coffee  room,  and  take  aglais  of  wine.  K^ 
refufed,  faying  he  had  drank  fo  much  punch, 
that  he  could  not  drink  wine — however,  hs 
would  call  upon  them  befere  they  wenc 
away.  Mr.  Howard  and  his  friend  returned, 
with  feelings  very  different  from  thofe  with 
which  thw'y  entered  the  place,  but  not  lefs  pain- 
ful. 

The  volume  concludes  with  feveral  curious 
and  valuable  tables,  which  will  probably  be 
ufed  tor  reference  at  future  diftant  periods. 
The  enumeration  of  all  the  prifoners  in  Eng- 
land at  his  villts  in  1787  and  1788,  fliews  an 
alarminj;^  incrcafe,  though  in  fome  meafure  tcv 
be  accoimted  for,  from  a  long  fufpenfion  cf 
the  ufual  tranfportation.  They  au:iount  to 
i^wQw  thoui'and  four  hundred  and  eighty- two- 
Mr.  Howard  remained  but  a  fiiort  t'.me  at 
home  after  the  printing  of  this  work.  In  th^ 
ccnclullon  of  it  he  had  declared  his  intentica 
*^  again  to  quit  his  native  country,  for  the  pur- 


(     ii8     ) 

pofe  of  revlfiting  Ruflia,  Turkey,  and  fome 
other  countries,  and  extendinrr  his  tour  in  the 
call.*'  The  rcafon  he  has  afligned  for  this  de- 
tejnnination,  is,  '*  a  ferious  deliberate  convic- 
tion that  he  was  purfuing  the  path  of  his  duty/' 
and  it  cannot  be  doubted,  that  this  confidera- 
tion  was  now,  as  it  ever  had  been,  his  leading 
principlsi  of  action.  But  if  it  be  afked,  what 
was  his  more  peculiar  objecl  in  this  new  jour- 
ney, no  decifive  anfvver,  I  believe,  can  be  given 
by  thofe  who  enjoyed  the  moft  of  his  confi- 
dence. I  had  various  converfations  with  him 
on  the  fubject ;  and  I  found  rather  a  wifti  to 
have  objects  of  enquiry  pointed  out  to  him  by 
others,  than  any  fpecific  views  prefent  to  his 
own  mind.  As,  indeed,  hispurpofe  was  to  ex- 
plore regions  entirely  new  to  him,  and  of  which 
the  police  refpecfting  his  former  objects  was 
very  imperfetftly  known  to  Europe  (for  the 
Turkiflj  dominions  in  Alia^  Egypt,  and  the 
Barbary  coaft,  were  in  his  plan  of  travels),  he 
could  not  doubt  that  important  fubjeds  for  ob- 
lervation  would  olfer  tliemfelves  unfought. 
Witlirefpec^t  to  that  part  of  his  tour  in  which 
he  was  to  go  over  ground  he  had  already  trod- 
den,  T  conceive  that  he  expe(5ted  to  do- good  in 
that  cenforial  charader,  which  his  repeated 
publications^  known    and  aScended  to  all  over 


k 


(    ir^    ) 

Europe,  gave  him  a  right  to  aflurae  ;  and  which 
he  had  before  exercifed  to  the  great  rehef  of 
the  miferable  in  various  countries.  Tf  to  thefe 
motives  be  added  the  long  formed  habitude  of 
purfuing  a  certain  track  of  enquiry,  and  an  in- 
quietude of  mind  proceeding  from  domeftic 
misfortune,  no  caufe  will  be  left  to  wonder 
«t  fo  fpeedy  a  renewal  of  his  toils  and  dan- 
gers. 

He  had  refolved  to  go  this  journey  too, 
without  an  attendant  ;  and  it  was  net  till  af- 
ter the  molt  urgent  and  affectionate  entreaties, 
that  his  fervant  obtained  permi^ion  to  accom- 
pany him.  Before  he  fet  out,  he  and  his  very 
intimate  andhip;hly  rrfped:ed  frier, d,  Dr.  Price, 
took  a  mcft  nfledionate  and  pathetic  leave  of 
each  other.  From  the  age  and  infirrrjities  of 
the  one,  and  the  haz^irds  the  other  v/as  going 
to  encounter,  it  was  the  forebodino-  of  each  of 
them  that  they  fhould  never  meet  again  in  this 
world  ;  and  their  farewell  correfponded  with 
the  folemnity  of  fuch  an  occafion.  The  rea- 
der's mind  will  paufe  upon  the  parting  embrace 
of  two  fuch  men  ;  and  revere  the  mtxture  of 
•cordial  affection,  fender  regret,  philofophic 
firmnefs,  and  chridian  refignation,  which  their 
minds  mull  have  difplayed. 


Tt  was  in  the  beginning  of  July  1789  that 
lie  arrived  in  Holland.  Thence  he  proceeded 
through  the  north  of  Germany,  Prufiia,  Cour- 
land,  and  Livonia,  to  St.  Peterlburgh.  From 
this  capital  he  went  to  Mofcow.  Some  ex- 
tracts of  a  letter  to  Dr.  Price  dated  from  thi-s 
city,  September  22,  1789,  w'lU,  I  doubt  not, 
be  acceptable,  as  one  of  the  lateil  records  of  his 
career  of  benevolence. 

'^  When  I  left  England,  I  firil  ftopped  at 
AmfterJani,  and  proceeded  to  Ofnaburgn,  Ha- 
nover, Brunfv/ick,  and  Berlin;  then  to  Ko- 
nigfb^^rg,  Riga,  and  Peterfburgh  ;  at  all  which 
places  I  vifited  the  prifons  awd  hofpitals,  which 
-were  all  flung  open  to  me,  and  in  foine,  the 
bur  J- om  afters  accompanied  me  into  the  dun- 
geons,  as  well  as  into  the  oiher  rooms  of  con- 
finement* I  arrived  a  few  days  ago  in  this  city, 
undliave  begun  my  rounds.  The  hoipitals  are 
inafadftate*  Upwards  of  feventy  thoufand 
fiulors  and  recruits  died  in  them  laft  year.  I 
labour  to  convey  the  torch  of  philanihropy  in- 
to thefe  diflant  regions 1  am  quite  well— - 

the  weather  clear—the  mornings  frefh— ther- 
mometer 48,  but  hrcs  not  yet  begun.  I  wiih 
for  a  mild  winter,  and  then  fball  make  fome 
progrefs  in  my  European  expedition.     My  me- 


dical  acquaintance  give  me  but  little  hope  of 
efcaping  the  plague  m  Turkey.  I  do  not  look 
back,  but  would  readily  endure  any  hardlhips, 
and  encounter  any  dangers,  to  be  an  honor  to 
my  Chriftian  profeflion." 

t  From  Mofcow  he  took  his  courfe  to  the  very 
I  extremity  of  European  RufTia,  extended  as  it 
now  is  to  the  fhores  of  the  Black -fe a,  where 
long  dreary  tradls  of  defert  are  terminated  by 
,  fonie  of  thofe  new  eftabliflimcnts,  which  have 
coft  fuch  immenfe  profufion  of  blood  and  trea. 
fure  to  two  vaft  empires,  now  become  neigh- 
bors and  perpetual  foes.  Here,  at  the  diflance 
^  of  1,500  miles  from  his  native  land,  he  fell  a. 
victim  to  difeafe,  the  ravages  of  which,  among 
I  unpitied  multitudes,  he  was  exerting  every 
•  effort  to  reftrain.  Finis  vita  nobis  lu^uofus^ 
amicis  trifiis,  extrancis  etiain  ignotifque  nmfinc 
K  cur  a  ! 

From  the  faithful  and  intelligent  fervant  wh© 
accdhipanied  him  (Mr.  Thomas  Thomafon},  I 
have  been  favored  with  an  account  of  various 
particulars  relative  to  his  laft  illnefs,  which  I 
ihall  give  to  the  reader  in  the  form  in  which  I 
received  it. 

L 


(       122      ) 

*'  The  winter  being   far  advanced  on  thtf 
taking  of  Bender,  the  commander  of  the  Ruffi- 
an army  at  that  place  gave   permiiTion  to  many 
of  the  officers  to  vilit  their  friends  at  Cherfon, 
as  the  fe verity  of  the  feafon  would  not  admit 
of  a  continuance  of  hoftilities  againft  the  Turks. 
Cherfon,  in  confequence,  became  much  crowd- 
ed ;  and  the   inhabitants   teftified  their  joy  for 
the  fuccefs  of  the  Ruffians  by  balls  and  mafque- 
rades.     Several  of  the  officers,  of   the  inhabi- 
tants of  Cherfon,    and  of  the  gentry   in  the 
neighbourhood,  who  attended  thefe  balls,  were 
almoft  inmiediately  afterwards  attacked  with 
fevers  ;  and  it  was   Mr.  Howard's  idea,  that 
the  infedlion  had  been  brought  by  the  officers 
from  Bender.  Amongft  the  number  who  caught 
this  contagion  was  a  young  lady  who*refided 
about  fixteen  miles  from  Cherfon.     When  ffie 
had  been  ill  fome  little  time,  Mr.  Howard  was 
earneftly  requefled  to  vifit  her.     He  faw  her 
firfton  Sunday,  December  27.     He  vifited  her 
again  in  the  middle  of  the  week,  and  a  third 
timeon  the  Sunday  following,  January  3.     On 
that  day  he  found  her  fweating  very  profufely ; 
and,  being  unwilling  to  check  this  by  uncover- 
ing   her    arm,  he  palled  his  under    the   bed- 
clothes to  feel  her  pulfe.     While  he  was  doing 
this,  the  eiiluvia  from  her  body  were  very  of- 


(     123     ) 

fenfive  to  him,  and  it  was  always  his  own  opi- 
nion that  he  then  caught  the  fever.  She  died 
on  the  following  day.  Mr.  Howard  was  much 
afFe^led  by^her  death,  as  he  had  flattered  him- 
felf  with  hopes  of  her  amendment.  From  Ja- 
nuary 3d  to  the  8th  he  fcarcely  went  out*  ; 
but  on  that  day  he  went  to  dine  with  Admiral 
MontgwinofF,  who  lived  about  a  mile  and  a 
half  from  his  lodgings.  He  (laid  later  than 
ufual;  and  when  he  returned,  found  himfelf 
unwell,  and  thought  he  had  fomething  of  the 
gout  flying  about  him.  He  immediately  took 
fome  Sal  Volatile  in  a  little  tea,  and  thought 
hi'mfelf  better  till  three  or  four  on  Saturday 
mornmg,  when  feeling  not  fo  well,  he  repeat- 
ed the  Sal  Volatile.  He  got  up  in  the  morn- 
ing and  walked  out  :  but,  finding  himfelf  worfe, 
foon  returned  and  took  an  emetic.  On, the  fol. 
lowino;  night  he  had  a  violent  attack  of  fever, 
when  he  had  reccurfe  to  his  favorite  remedy, 
James*  powder,  which  he  regularly  took  eve- 
ry two  or  tour  hours  till  Sunday  the  i7th» 
For  though  Prince  Potemkin  fent  his  ov>  n  phy, 
fician  to  him,  immediately  on  being  acquai   teJ 

*  There  feems  feme  mifiahe  here,  as  there  s  a  full 
lepovt  in  his  memorn'iduins,  of  a  lifit  tj  tiK  h<f^itah  in 
Chcrfojif  duud  January  6. 


(     l"^4     ) 

ivith  his  lllnefs,  yet  his  own  prefcriptions  -were 
Dever  interfered  with  during  this  time.  On 
the  J  2th  he  had  a  kind  of  fit,  in  which  he  fud- 
deiily  fell  down,  his  f;ice  became  black,  his 
breathing  difficult,  and  he  remained  infenfiblc 
for  half  an  hour.  On  the  17th  he  had  another 
iimilar  fit.  On  the  i8th  he  was  feized  with 
hiccuping,  which  continued  on  the  next  day, 
when  he  took  fomc  mufk  draughts  by  diredion 
of  the  phyfician.  About  feven  o'clock  on 
Wednefday  morning,  the  20th  of  January,  he 
had  another  fit,  and  died  in  about  an  hour  af- 
ter. He  was  perfeflly  fenfible  during  his  ill- 
nefs,  except  in  the  fits,  tillvithin  a  very  few 
hours  of  his  death.  This  event  he  all  along 
expedied  to  take  place  ;  and, he  often  faid,  that 
he  had  no  other  wifli  for  life  than  as  it  gave 
him  the  means  of  relieving  liis  fellow-crea- 
lures. 

Daring  his  illnefs  he  received  a  letter  from 
a  friend,  who  mentioned  having  lately  ieen  his 
fun  at  Leicefter,  and  exprclTed  his  hopes  that 
Mr.  Howard  would  find  him  better  on  his  re- 
turn to  England.  When  this  account  was  read 
to  him,  it  affedled  him  much.  His  exprefhc^ns 
of  pleaf^ure  were  particularly  flrong,  and  he 
often  defn-ed  his  fcrvant;,  if  ever  by  the  blelling 


of  God,  his  foil  was  reftorcd,  to  tell  him  how 
much  he  prayed  for  his  happ.nefs.  Ke  made  3 
will*  on  the  Thurfday  before  he  died  ;  and 
was  burled,  at  his  own  requeft,  at  the  villa  of 
M.  Dauphine,  about  eight  miles  from  Cherfon, 
where  a  monument  is  ereded  over  his  grave. 
He  made  the  obfervation,  that  he  fliould  here 
be  at  the  fame  diftance  from  Heaven,  as  if 
brought  back  to  England.  While  in  Cherfon, 
he  faw  the  accounts  of  the  demolition  of  the 
Baflille,  which  feemed  to  sfFord  him  a  very 
particular  pleafure  ;  and  he  thought  itpoiTible, 
the  account  he  had  himfelf  publiihed  of  it, 
might  have  contributed  to  this  event.'* 

On  this  relation,  the  general  exaclnefs  of 
which  may,  I  dcubt  not,  be  fully  relied  on,  I 
iliall  only  make  a  medical  remark  or  two.  Not- 
withftanding  Mr.  Howard's  convidion  of  hav- 
ing caught  the  contagion  from  the  young  lad)', 
I  think  the  diilance^  of  time  between  his  hifl 
vifit  to  her  and  his  own  feizure,  makes  the  fact 
dubious.  Contagion  thus  fenfibly  received, 
ufuaily,  I  believe,  operates  in  a  lefs  period  than. 


♦  This  r;r if}  probably  have  be^n  ordy  form  direWont 
to  his  i:xscut^rSf  as  his  will  is  dale  J  i;i  ly   j. 


f  126  ) 

.^ve  days*.  Perhaps  his  vJfii  to  the  hofpitaU 
on  the  6th,  or  his  late  return  from  the  Admi- 
ral's on  the  8ih,  in  a  cold  feaibn  and  un.- 
wholefome  climate,  will  better  account  for  it. 
The  nature  of  his  complaint  is  not  very  clear, 
foritisvery  uncommon  for  the  fenles  to  re. 
main  entire  till  the  laft,  in  a  fever  of  the  low 
or  putrid  kind  ;  nor  are  fits,  refembling  epi- 
jeptic  attacks,  among  the  ufual  fymptoms  of 
fach  a  difeafe.  That  a  wandering  gout  might 
make  part  of  his  indifpofition,  is  not  very  im- 
probable, as  it  was  a  diforder  to  which  he  was 
conftitutionaily  liable,  though  his  mode  of  liv- 
ing prevented  any  fevere  paroxyfms  of  it.  At 
any  rate,  his  diiecife  was  certainly  attended 
with  debility  of  the  vital  powers,  and  therefore 
the  long  and  frequent  ule  of  James'  powders 
muft  have  been  prejudicial.  And  I  think  it 
highly  probable,  that  Mr.  Howard's  name  may 
be  added  to  the  numerous  lift  of  thofe,  whole 
lives  have  been  facrificed  to  the  empirical  ufe 
of  a  Hiedicine  of  great  activity,  and  therefore- 
capable  of  doing  muchhajrm  as  v.'cil  as  good.. 


*  j<cccY{lir.gtoDr.Lindj  its  efftih,  Jhiwering  and 
ficknefs,  are  inji_anta?iecus.  S€t  Dijfert,  on  FuTfrs  and 
Infdiioiu     Chap.  W,  fdL  1 . 


(      127     ) 

It  was  Mr.  Howard's  written  requeft,  that 
his  papers  iliould  be  corre(fted  and  fitted  for 
publication  by  Dr.  Price  and  luyfelf.  The  de* 
dining   ftate    of    health   of  Dr.    Price*,   has 

*  Whiljl  lam  engaged  hi  this  work,  Dr.  Price  has 
fdlowed  his  friend  to  the  gra-e.  A  chara<Sler  fo  illu- 
flrious  will,  donbiltjs,  have  all  jj-iJUce  dojie  it  by  fame 
pen  qualified  to  difplay  its  various  merits.  /Vay  I  bg 
pc)  77iiited,  hozaezer,  to  take  this  occajion  of  mingling 
7?jy  regrets  withthofe  of  his  oihtr  friends  and  admirer  sy 
and  offering  ajmall  tribute  to  the  memory  of  one  of  the 
mojl  excellent  of  men  I  Though  during  life  the  advanc- 
ed jlation  he  occupied  in  political  contr over fy  rendered 
his  na7?ie  as  obnoxious  to  fome,  as  it  was  chtrified  and 
revi'red  by  others,  yet  now  he  is  g0ne  to  that  place 
where  all  worldly  differeitces  are  at  an  end,  it  may  be 
hoped,  that  the  liberal  of  all  deno7ninations  will  con- 
cur, in  rcfpeUing  a  long  courfe  of  years  fpe7it  in  the 
unre?7iitted  application  of  eminent  abilities  and  ac 
quiremenis,  to  the  pro77iotion  of  what  he  regarded  as. 
the  greatejl  good  of  his  fellow-en  atiires.  A  charaiier 
in  which  were  co7nbined  fwiplicity  tf  heart,  withdtptk 
ef  und-rjlatidijig, — ardent  Lve  cf  truth,  ivith  true 
Chrifiian  charity  and  humility ; — high  zeal  for  tjie 
public  interefJs,  with  perfeCs  freedo7ii  from  all  ^ivat& 
Tiews  ;  cannot  be  ulti7nately  injui  ed  by  the  pstulence 
efwit,  or  the  invectives  cf  eloqu:nce.  Dr,  Price^s  re- 
putation as  a  moraliji,  philofspher,  a7id  politician^ 
may  fafely  be  committed  to  i77ipartial  pofer,  ty^ 


(     X29     ) 

caufed  the  bufinefs  to  devolve  folely  on  me, 
and  I  have  executed  it  to  the  beft  of  my  pow- 
er. Little  was  requifue  to  be  done  to  the 
greateft  part,  which  he  had  himfelf  copied  cut 
fair.  The  reft  was  with  fome  difficulty  to  be 
compiled  out  of  detached  and  broken  memo- 
randums;  but  in  thefe  his  own  words  are  as 
much  as  poflible  preferved.  Of  this  Snpple. 
ment  I  fhall  give  a  general  accoent,  as  I  have 
done  of  the  former  parts  cf  his  works. 

The  order  and  regularity  cf  Kolbnd  ftill 
afford  ufeful  defcriptions,  and  iomc  of  the  a- 
bufes  which  even  there  had  crept  in,  feem  to 
have  been  cor^eded  fmce  Mr.  Foward's  vilits. 
The  friend  to  humanity  has  yet,  how^tver,  to 
lament  the  continued  ui'e  of  the  torture  there^ 
to  force  confeflioii.  The  ftate  oi  the  prifons  in 
Ofnaburgh,  Hanover,  aud  Bruniwick,  is  again 
dwelt  upon  with  fome  minutenefs,  obvioufly. 
becaufe  the  writer  thought  there  was  fome 
probability  of  his  attrading,  in  a  more  peculiar 
manner,  the  notice  of  thole  who  have  the 
power  of  remedying  their  defeds.  Who  will 
r.ot  fympathize  with  him  in  thedifappointment 
he  expreiTes  in  this  inftance,  and  bewail  the 
ftrange  fatality  by  which  the  utmoft  barbarity 
of  ti.e  torture  is  retained  in  the  dominions  of  a 


(        129      ) 

mild  and  enlightened  Sovereign,  whofe  inter- 
pofitions  could  not  but  be  efficacious  in  fuppref- 
(ing  it  I 

At  Berlin  and  Spandau  the  inftitutions  ap- 
pear topreferve  the  good  order  in  which  they 
were  left  by  the  Great  Frederic.  Konigfberg 
feems  to  ihew  the  neglect  incident  to  places  dif- 
tant  from  the  feat  of  government.  In  a  note 
under  this  place,  Mr.  Howard  makes  an  ac- 
knovvledgmen:  of  the  attention  with  which  hi.s 
remarks  have  been  honored  in  various  foreign 
countries,  and  properly  adduces  it  as  a  realon 
for  his  adoption  of  t]]at  cenforial  manner  of 
noting  abufes,  which,  in  his  later  jouruies,  li,c 
has  not  fcriipled  freely  to  employ. 

At  St.  Peterfburgh  he  had  the  plcafure  to 
obferve  feveral  improvements  in  the  hoipitals> 
probably  in  great  part  owing  to  his  own  fug- 
geftions.  Under  Cronfladt  he  finds  occafion, 
however,  to  animadvert  upon  an  alteration  in 
the  plan  of  diet,  generally  adopted  throughout 
the  marine  and  military  hofpitals  of  Ruilia, 
which,  in  his  opinion,  is  highly  prejudicial. 
This  alteration  confifls  in  changing  milk,  and 
vaiious  other  articles,  conftituting  the  ufual  li- 
quid and  middle  diet  of  the  (ick,  for  the  flrong- 


(    130    ) 

er  and  lefs  iligeftible  food  of  men  in  health.' 
The  prirons  at  Mofcow  feem  greatly  neglect- 
ed by  thofe  whofe  office  it  is  to  fuperiniend 
them  ;  bnt  the  charity  difplaytd  by  individuals 
towards  the  poor  wretches  confined  in  them, 
gave  Mr.  Howard  a  favorable  idea  of  the  hu- 
mane difpofitlon  of  the  nation,  confirmed  by 
what  he  faw  of  their  manners  in  his  travels. 

Ke  now  haftened  to  thofe  fcenes,  where  a 
deflruclive  war,  co-operating  with  an  unwhcle- 
fome  climate,  produced  fuch  evils,  aggravated 
by  negled  and  inhumanity,  that  they  gave  him 
no  other  occupation  than  to  lament  and  com- 
plain. After  all  the  allowances  that  candor 
demands,  for  inev.'table  wants  and  hardfliips  in 
the  diftant  pofls  of  a  newly  poiTtfTed  country, 
and  during  the  heighih  of  widely  extended  mi- 
litary operations,  the  Rulhan  commanders  can- 
not be  vindicated  from  an  inr.tuentioii  to  the 
lives  and  comforts  of  their  foldiers,  greater,  as 
Mr.  Howard  obferves,  than  he  had  feen  in  aiy 
other  country.  Ignorance,  abnfe,  miftiianage- 
ment,  and  deficiency,  feem  at  their  very  lum- 
mit  in  the  military  hofpitals  of  Cherfon,  Wi- 
towka,  and  St.  Nicholas.  The  lively  picftures 
be  has  drawn  of  the  diltreffes  he  here  witneficd, 
and  his  pathetic  defcripuon  of  the  fufFerings  of 


(     '3'     ) 

the  poor  recruits,   marched  from  their   diftant 
homes  to  thefe  melancholy  regions,  mud  awa- 
ken in  every  feelmg  bread  a  warm  indignation 
againft    the  fchemes   of    ambitious  deipoiifm, 
however  varnifhed  over  with  the  colorings   of 
glory,  or  even   of  national  utility.     No  lefl'on 
ought  to  be  more  forcibly  imprefl'ed  on  man- 
kind, than,  that  unconiroled  power  in  one    or 
few,  notwithftanding    it    may    cccalionally  be 
exercifed  in    fplendid    and  even  benef  ^ent  de- 
figns,  is  on  the   whole    abiolutely    inconfiftent 
with  the   happinefs  of  a   people*.     The  Em- 
prefs  of  RulTia's  unjuft  feizure   of  Lefler  and 
Crim  Tartary,  has  been  the  caufe  of  miferies 
not  to  be  calculated,  to  her    own  fubjedls  and 
thofe  of  Turkey,  and  has  endangered  the  tran- 
quility of  all  Europe. 

I  fliali  conclude  this  review  cf  the  works 
and  public  fervices  of  Mr.  Howard  with  brief 
annals  of  his  more  than  Herculean  labors,  du- 
ring the  lafl  feventeen  years  of  his  hfe. 


*^  Scilicet  tit  Ttirno  co7itingat  regia  co*ijunx 
Nos,  anima  viles,  ifihumata  inflttaqut^  turba, 
%ternamur  campis.  JS.n%  xi« 


(     132     ) 

1773'  High-flieriff  of  Bedfordfhire.  Vifit- 
ed  many  county  and  town  gaols. 

1774.  Completed  his  furvey  of  Englifli 
gaols.  Stood  candidate  to  reprel'ent 
the  town  of  Bedford. 

1775.  Travelled  to  Scotland,  Ireland, 
France,  Holland,  Flanders  and  Ger- 
many. 

1776.  Repeated  his  vifit  to' the  above  coun- 
tries,  and  to  Switzerland.  During 
thefe  two  years  rcvifited  all  the  Eng- 
lish gaols. 

1777.  Printed  his  ftate  of  prifons. 

1 778.  Travelled  through  Holland,  Flanders, 
Germany,  Italy,  Switzerland,  and 
part  of.France. 

1779.  Revifited  all  the  counties  of  England 
and  Wales,  and  travelled  into  Scot- 
land and  Ireland.  Acled  as  Supervi- 
for  of  the  Penitentiary  IJoufes. 

1780.  Printed  his  firflApendix. 


i  (   133   ) 

i;?!.  Travelled  into  Denmark,  Sweden, 
Ruflia,  Poland,  Germany,  and  Hol- 
land. 

17^2*  Again  furveyed  all  the  Englifh  pri- 
Ibns,  and  wen:  into  Scotland  and  Ire- 
land* 

r 

1783.  Vifited  Portugal,  Spain,  France, 
Flanders  and  Holland  ;  alfo,  Scotland 
and  Ireland  ;  and  viewed  feveral 
Englifh  prilbns. 

1784.  Printed  the  fecond  Appendix,  and  a 
new  edition  of  his  whole  works. 


1786.  \ 

11^7^  i 


From  the  clofe  of  the  firfl:  of  thefe 
years,  to  the  beginning  of  the  lafl, 
on  his  tour  through  Holland, 
France,  Italy,  Malta,  Turkey  and 
Germany-  Afterwards  went  to 
1^      Scotland  and  Ireland. 


1788.  Revifited  Ireland;  and  during  this 
and  the  former  year,  travelled  over 
all  England. 

M 


(   134  ; 

1789.  Printed  his  work  on  Lazarettos,  &:c. 
Travelled  through  Holland,  Germa- 
ny, Pruflia,  and  Livcnia,  to  RulTia 
and  LelTer  Tarrary. 

1790.  January  20.     Died  at  Cherfon. 


Having  thus  traced  the  faotfteps  of  this  great 
philanthi^opift  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave,  and 
followed  them  with  clofe  infpedion  in  that  part 
of  his  courfe  which  comprehends  his  more 
public  life,  it  only  remains,  to  alTenible  thofe 
features  of  character  which  have  been  dil'play- 
ed  in  his  adlions,  and  to  form  them  in  conjunc- 
tion with  fuch  minuter  ftrokes  as  ftudious  ob- 
fervatioQ  may  have  enabled  me  to  draw,  into  a 
faitliful  portraiture  of  the  man. 

The  firft  thing  that  Itruck  an  obferver  on 
acquaintance  with  IVIr.  Howard,  was  a  flamp 
^f  extraordinary  vigour  and  energy  on  all  his 
movements  and  exprelfions.  An  eye  lively  and 
penetrating,  flrong  and  prominant  features, 
quick  gait,  and  animated  geftures,  gave  pro- 
mife  of  ardor  .in  forming,  and  vivacity  in  exe- 


(     135     ) 

cuting  his  defigns*.  At  no  time  of  liis  life,  I 
believe,  was  he  without  fome  object  of  warm 
piirlaic;  and  in  every  thing  he  p^rfued,  he  w.\s 
indefatigable  in  aiming  at  perfection.  Give  him 
a  hint  of  any  thing  he  had  left  fhoi  t,  ur  any 
new  acquifition  to  be  made,  and  while  you 
might  fuppofe  he  was  deliberating  about  it,  you 
were  furprifed  with  finding  it  was  d^ne.  Koi 
Caefar  hunfelf  could  better  exemplify  the  po- 
et's 

Nil  afiiim  credens,  dam  quilfupcrejftt  agr.idii^n. 

I  remember  that,  having  accidently  remark- 
ed to  him  tliat  amongft  the  London  prifoas  he 

*  Mr.  Hozvardhadfo  much  contempt  for  worldly 
honors  that  he  would  never  fit  to  any  painter  whatever, 
and  this  has  given  rife  to  an  opinion  that  there  is  no 
corrtd  likenefi  of  him.  I:i  this  refpeft,  howf.'er,  ths 
public  feem  to  be  under  a  mifake.  An  ingenious  and 
refpt'Ciable  artijl,  Mr,  T,  U allow fiyy  whofv  talents  are 
juJHy  admit  ed,  had  often  an  opportunity  of  being  in 
c Of Hp any  with  Mr,  Howard  in  a  public  place,  vjhere 
ajkjtch  of  his  features  might  be  folin.  The  temptx- 
ti'ju  was  too  great  to  be  r'ejified.  An  accurate  Jkct.k 
was  made ^  and  an  evgrai'ing,  executed  from  it^  ac- 
compan'-es  this  life,  and zii  11  afford  a  very  jujl  idea  cf 
'the  features  of  t'  is  great  and  good  niaii, 
.  The  American  Editor  can  ajjlire  the  public,  thn, 
the  original  fietch  alluded  to  abo^e,  is  now  in  the  pof- 
Jejjion  of  Mr,  Caleb  Lozunes  (f  this  city, 

V 


(     »36    ) 

had  omitted  the  Tower,  he  was  fo  ftruck  witk 
the  deficiency  (though  of  trifling  conl'equence, 
fince  confinement  there  is  fo  rare},  that  at  his 
very  firft  leifure  he  ran  to  London,  and  fuppli- 
ed  it.  Nor  was  it  only  during  a  fliort  period 
cf  ardour  that  his  exertions  were  thus  awaken- 
ed. He  had  the  ilill  rarer  quality  of  being 
able,  for  any  length  of  time,  to  bend  all  the 
povvers  and  faculties  of  his  mind  to  one  point, 
unfeJuced  by  every  allurement  which  curiolity 
or  any  other  afFedion  might  throw  in  his  way, 
«.)d  unfufceptible  of  that  fatiety  and  difgufl 
which  are  i'o  apt  to  ileal  upon  a  protracled  pur- 
fuit.  Though  by  his  early  travels  he  had 
iliewn  himfelf  not  indifferent  to  thofe  objedsof 
tafte  and  infcrmation  Vvhich  ftrike  the  cultiva* 
tad  mind  in  a  foreign  country,  yet  in  the  tours, 
exprefsly  made  for  the  purpofe  of  examining 
prilbns  and  hofpitals,  he  appears  to  have  had 
eyes  and  edrsfoi  nothing  elfe:  at  leaft  he  fuf- 
lered  no  other  object  to  detain  him  or  draw  him 
alide*.  Imprefled' with  the  idea  of  the  impor- 
tance of  his  dcfigns,  and  the  uncertainty  of  hu- 
man life,  he  was  impatient  to  get  as  much  done 

♦  He  mentioned  bi'ing  once  prevailed  upon  in  Italy 
to  go  and  hear  fome  extraordinary  fine  nmfic  ;  but, 
^/tnuiug  his  thoughts  too  much  occupied  by  it,  he  would 
nev^r  repeat  the  indulgence^ 


(     ^37,  ) 

as  polTible  within  tlie  allotted  limits.  And  itt 
this  difpofition  confiiled  that  enthufiariu  by 
which  the  public  fuppofed  hini  aduated;  for 
otherwife,  his  cool  and  fteady  temper  gave  nci 
idea  of  the  characler  ufually  diftinguifned  by 
that  appellation.  He  followed  his  plans,  indeed, 
with  wonderful  vigour  and  conftancy,  but  by 
no  means  with  that  heat  and  eau-ernefs,  that  in- 
flamed  and  exalted  imagination,  which  de- 
note the  enthufiaft.  Hence,  he  was  not  liable 
to  catch  at  partial  reprefentations,  to  viev/ 
fac^s  through  fallacious  mediums,  and  to  fall 
into  thofe  miftakes  which  are  fo  frequent  in 
■the  refearches  of  the  man  of  fancy  and  warm 
feeling.  Some  perfons,  who  only  knew  him 
by  his  extraordinary  adions,  were  ready  e- 
nough  to  bellow  upon  him  that  ineer  of  con- 
tempt, which  men  of  cold  hearts  and  feliifh 
difpofit.ons  are.fo  apt  to  apply  to  whatever  has 
the  Oiew  of  high  fenfibility.  While  others, 
who  had  a  flight  acquaintance  with  him,  and 
faw  occafional  features  of  phlegm,  and  perhaps 
harninefs,  were  difpofed  to  queilionhis  feeling 
altogether,  and  to  attribute  his  exertions  ei- 
ther merely  to  a  feiife  of  duty,  or  to  habit 
and  humour.  But  both  ihefe  were  erroneous 
concluiions.      He  felt  as  a  man  fiioiild  feel ;  bat 

iftot  fo  as  to  millead  him,  either  in  the  eftimatc 
Ma 


f     138     ) 

he  formed  of  chjctts  of  utility,  or  in   his   res. 
foninj^s  concerning    tiie  means   by  which    they 
^\ere  co  be  brought  into  efFecl:.      The  reforma- 
tion of  abufes,  and  the    reljef  of  mifery,  were 
the  two  great  purpofes  whicli  he  kept   in  view 
in  all    his  undertakings;   and    T   have   equally 
feen  the  tear  of  fenfibility  ftart   into  his    eyes 
on   recalling   fome  of  the  diilrefsful   fcenes  to 
which  he  had  been  vvitnefs,  and  the  fpirit   of 
indignation  fla/h  from  them  on  relating  inftaii- 
ees  of  bafenefs  and  oppreifion.      Still,  however, 
hisconftancy  of  mind  and  felf-colleclion   never 
deferted  him.     He  was  never  agitated,  never 
ofFhis  guard;   and    the  unfpeakable    advanta- 
ges of  fuch  a  temper  in  the  fcenes  in  which  he 
was  engaged,  need  not  be  dwelt  upon. 

His  whole  courfe  of  a^lion  was  fuch  a  trial 
«f  intrepidity  and  fortitude,  that  it  may  feem 
altogether  fuperfiuous  to  fpeak  of  liis  poiTefTion 
of  thefe  qualities.  He  had  them,  indeed,  both 
from  nature  and  principle.  His  nerves  were 
firm  ;  and  his  convicftion  of  marching  in  the 
path  of  duty  made  him  fearlefs  of  coniequen- 
<es.  Nor  was  it  only  en  great  occafions  that 
this  (Irength  of  mind  was  {hown*  It  raifed 
him  above  falfe  fhame,  and  that  awe  which 
miakes  a  coward  of  many  a  brave  raan  in  tb9 


(    139    ) 

prefence  of  a  fuperior.  No  one  ever  lefs 
''feared  the  face  of  man/'  than  he-  No  one 
hefitated  iefs  in  fpeaking  bold  truths,  or  a- 
vowing  obnoxious  opinions.  His  courage  was 
equally  paUive  and  ad:ive.  He  was  prepared 
to  make  every  facrifice  that  a  regard  to  ftricl 
veracity,  or  rigorous  duty,  could  enjoin;  and 
it  cannot  be  doubted,  that,  had  he  lived  in  an 
age  when  aflerting  bis  civil  and  religious  rights 
would  have  fubjeded  him  to  martyrdom,  not  a 
more  willing  martyr  would  ever  have  aicend- 
ed  the  fcaiFold,  or  embraced  the  ftake. 

The  refolute  temper  of  Mr.  Howard  dif- 
played  itfelf  in  a  certain  peremptorinefs,  which, 
when  he  had  once  determined,  rendered  him 
unyielding  to  perfuafion  or  dilTaufion,  and  urg- 
ed him  on  to  the  accomplinmient  of  his  pur- 
pofe,  regardlefs  of  obftacles.  He  expected 
prompt  obedience  in  thofe  from  whom  he  had 
a  right  to  require  it,  and  was  not  a  man  to  be 
treated  with  negligence  and  inattention.  He 
was,  however,  extremely  confiderate,  and  fuf. 
ficientlv  indulgent  to  human  frailties ;  and  a 
good- will  to  pleafe  him  could  fcarcely  fail  of 
its  efFecb.  That  his  commands  were  reafona- 
ble,  and  his  expectations  moderate,  may  be  in- 
ferred from  the  long  continuance  of  moil  of 


(      140     ) 

his  fervants  with  him,  and  his  fteady  attach- 
ment ro  many  of  thofe  whom  he  employed. 
His  means  of  enforcing  compliance  were  chiefly 
rewards  ;  and  the  withholding  them  was  his 
method  of  (liowing  difpleafure*. 

*  Th'j  following  chara^tcriCic  aiiecd<te  was  com. 
municated  to  nis  by  a  gentL  r,:an  who  traielled  in  a 
chaife  with  him  from  Lanca/Iiire  to  London  in  illl, 
Mr.  Hor,ard  obfrved,  that  he  had  found  few  things 
more  difficult  to  manage  than  pofi-chaife  drivers,  whg 
would  ftldoni  comply  with  his  wiflies  of  going  flow  or 
fafl,  till  he  adopted  the  folloxving  method.  At  the  end 
of  a  f! age,  when  the  dri'ver  hadbeeji  perverfe,  he  de-. 
fired  the  landlord  to  fend  for  fo7ne  poor  i7:diiJlrions  wi- 
dow, or  other  proper  objed  of  cha\ity,  and  to  intro- 
duce fuch  perfon  andthe  driver  together.  Hj  then  paid 
the  latter  his  fare,  and  told  him,  that  as  he  had  not 
thought  proper  to  attend  to  his  repeated  requefs  as  to 
the  manner  of  being  driven,  he  fhoiild  not  make  him 
any  prefenti  but,  tofliow  him  that  he  did  not  withhold 
it  cut  of  a  principle  of  parfimony,  he  would  gii-e  tlie 
poor  per  foil  pre fent  double  the  fum  ufually  given  to  a 
pofiillion.  This  he  did,  and  dijmifjtd  the  parties.  He 
had  not  long  pra&ifed  this  m.ode,  he  /aid,  before  he 
experienced  the  good  effects  cf  it  on  all  the  roads  where 
he  was  known. 

A  more  extraordinary  inftance  of  his  deterjninedfpi- 
rit  has  been  related  to  fxe.     Travelling  once  in  the  kin^ 


(     '4>     ) 

The  rpirit  of  independence  by  which  he  was 
ever  diftinguinied,  had  in  him  the  only  foanda- 
tlGn  to  be  relied  on,  moderate  deiires.  Per- 
fectly contented  with  the  competence  which 
Providence  had  beftowed  on  him,  he  never 
had  a  thought  of  incrs^aling  it ;  and  sven  when 
in  a  lituation  to  exped  a  family,  he  made  it  a 
rule  with  himfclf  to  lay  up  no  part  of  his  an- 
nual income,  but  to  expend  in  fome  uieful  or 
benevolent  fcheme  the  fuperfluity  of  the  year* 


^f  Prujjii^i  dominions^    he  came  to  a  very  narroud 
piece  of  roady  admittin-j  only  om  carriaTey  where  it 
was  enjoined  oit^ull  pofiillions  e  .tering  at  each  endy  f 
blow  their  horns  by  way  of  notice.     His  did  fo  ;  but, 
after  proceeding  a  good  way  y  they  met  a  courier  tra- 
•velliftg  on  the  king's  biifintfsy  who  had  neglected  thit 
precaution.     The  ccurier  ordered  Mr.  Howard's  pojlil- 
lion  to  turn  hack;  but  Mr.  Howard retnonfratedt  that 
he  had  complied  with  the  rule,  while  the  other  had  lio- 
lated  it  ;  and  therefore  that  he  Jhould  inftj}  on  goin^ 
forwards.     The  courier y  rely'mg  on  an  authority,   t9 
which.,  in  that  country y  e'very  thing  mujl  give  way^ 
made  ufe  of  high  words y  but  in  vain.     As  neither  was 
4ifpofedtoyieldy  they  fat  flill  a  long  time  in  their  ref- 
petiive  carriages :  at  length  the  courier  gave  up  the 
point  to  the  fturdy  Eiigliflimanf  who  would  on  no  ac^ 
count  renounce  his  rights. 


C    141   ) 

Left  this  fhould  be  converted  into  a  charge  of 
careleiTnels  in  providing  for  his  own,  it  may  ba 
proper  to  mention,  that  he  had  the  beft- 
grounded  expectations,  that  any  children  he 
might  have,  would  largely  partake  of  the  wealth 
©f  their  relations.  Thus  he  preferved  his 
heart  from  that  contamination,  which  (taking 
in  the  whole  of  life)  is  perhaps  the  difeafe  inoft 
frequently  attendant  on  a  ftate  of  profperity, — 
the  luft  of  growing  rich  ;  a  paflicn,  which  is  too 
often  found  tofwallowup  liberality,  public  fpi- 
rit,  and,  at  lail,  that  independency,  which  it  is 
the  beft  ufe  of  v,  ealth  to  fecure.  By  this  tem- 
per of  mind  he  was^  elevated  to  an  immeafur- 
able  diftance  above  every  thing  mean  and  for- 
did ;  and  in  all  his  tranfacbions  he  difplayed  a 
fpirit  of  honor  and  generolity,  that  might  be- 
come the  ^'b)ood  of  the  Howards"  when  flow- 
ing in  its  noblefl  channels. 

o 

Had  Mr.  Howard  been  lefs  provided  with 
the  goods  of  fortune,  his  independency  would 
have  found  a  refource  in  the  fewnefs  of  his 
wants;  and  it  was  an  ineftimable  advantage 
which  he  brought  to  his  great  work,  an  ad- 
vantage perhaps  more  uncommon  in  this  coun- 
try than  any  of  thofe  already  mentioned,  that 
he  pofrefTed  a  command  over  all  corporeal  ap^ 


(     M3     ) 

petitesand  habitudes,  not  lefs  perfetl  than  that 
of  any  ancient  phi'.ofopher,    or  modern  afcetic* 
The  ftrift  regimen  of  diet  which  he  had  adopt- 
ed early  in  life  from  motives  of  health,  he    af- 
terwards perfevered  in    through  choice,  and 
even  extended    its  rigour,    fo  as  torejevfl  all 
thofe  indulgencies  which  even  the  mofttempe- 
rate  confider  as  neceflary  for  the  prefervation 
of  their   ftrength    and   vigor.     Animal  foods, 
and  fermented  and  fpirituous  drinks^  he  utter- 
ly difcarded    from   his   diet.     Water  and  the 
plaineft    vegetables  fufficed  him.     Milk,    tea, 
butter,   and  fruit,   were  his  luxuries ;  and  he 
was  equally  fparing  in   the   quantity   of  food, 
and  indifferent  as  to  the  ftated   times  of  taking 
it.     Thus  he   found    his  wants  fupplied  in  al- 
molt  every  place  where  man  exifted,  and  was 
as  well  provided  in  the  pofadas  of   Spain    and 
caravanferas   of  Turkey,  as  in   the  inns  and 
hotels  of  England  and   France.     Water  was 
one  of  his   principal   neceflaries,  for  he   was  a 
very  Muffelman  in  his  ablutions  ;  and  if  nicety 
or  delicacy   had  place  with  him  in  any  refped, 
it  was  in  the  perfed  cleanlinefs   of  his  whole 
perfon.     He  was  equally  tolerant  of  heat,  cold, 
andaljp  the   viciflitudes  of  climate  ;  aijd,   what 
is  more  wonderful,  not  even  fleep  feemed  ne- 
cefi^ry  to  him;  at  Icaftat  thofe  returns  and  in 


(     M4     ) 

thofe  proportions  in  which  mankind  in  genera  1 
exped:  it.     How  well  he  was  capable  of  endur- 
ing  fatigue,  the   amazing  journies  he  look  by- 
all  modes  of   conveyance,  without   any   inter* 
^vals  of  what  might   be  called  repofe  (fince  hia 
only  baiting  places  were  his  proper  fcenes  of 
action),  abundantly  teftify.     In   fliort  no  hu- 
man body   was  probably   ever  mOre  prrfedly 
the  fervant  of  the  mind  by  which  it  was   aclu- 
ated  ;  and  all  the  efforts  of  the  flrongeit  conffi- 
tution,   not  inured  to  habits  of  felf.denial,  and 
moral  as  well  as  corporeal  exercife,  would  have 
been  unequal  to  his  exertions*. 

With  refpeft  to  the  character  of  his  under- 
itanding,  that,  too,  v;as  as  happily  adapted 
to  the   great  bufmefs  in  which   ne  engag  ed. 

*  The  following  account  of  his  mode  of  travelling, 
communicated  to  me  by  a  gentletnan  in  Dublin, 
who  had  much  free  converfation  with  him,  and  the 
Jubflance  cf^  which  I  well  recolleii  to  have  heard 
from  himf  If  .willy  I  doubt  tioty  proi-e  intertfiing, 
**  When  he  travelled  in  England  or  Ireland,  it  war 
generally  on  horfebacky  and  he  rode  about  forty 
E^iglifli  miles  a  day.  He  was  never  at  a  lofs  for 
an  inn,  ■  When  in  Ireland,  or  the  Highlands  of  Scot* 
land,  he  ufed  to  flop  at  one  of  the  poor  cabins  that 
Jlick  up  a  rag  by  way  of  fignf  and  get  a  little  milk* 


C  M5  ) 
He  had  not,  in  a  high  degree,  that  extenfn'^ 
comprehenfion,  that  faculty  of  generalizing, 
which  is  faid  to  diftinguilh  the  man  of  geirus, 
but  which,  without  a  previous  collection  of 
authentic  materials,  is  ever  apt  to  lead  into  er- 
roneous fpeculations.     He  was  rather  a  man  of 


When  he  cams  to  the  town  he  -was  to  Jljcp  at,  he  be- 
/poke  a  flipper,  with  vjine  a,ul  beer,  like  another  tra- 
veller, hut  made  his  man  attend  him,  and  take  it  azuay, 
luhiljl  he  was  preparing  his  bread  and  jnilk.  Be  al- 
ways paid  the  waiters,  pofiillions,  zjc,  liberally,  be- 
caufe  he  would  have  no  difcontent  or  difpute,  nor  fuf- 
fer  his  fyirits  to  be  agitated  for  J  nch  a  matter  ;  fayiiig^ 
that  in  a  journey  that  inight  cojl  three  or  four  hundred 
pounds,  fifteen  or  twenty  pounds  addition  was  net 
vjorth  t'.iinhing  about.  When  he  travelled  on  t:ie  con- 
tinent, lie  ufually  w^nt  pojli.i  his  own  chaife,  which 
was  a  Gertnan  one  that  he  bought  for  the  purpofc. 
He  never  Jlopped  till  he  came  to  the  town  he  meant  to 
'yifit,biit  travelled  all  night ,  if  necejjary  ;  and  from 
habit  could ^n^ep  very  well  in  the  chaife  far  fcveral 
nights  tog;thei\  In  the  lafi  tour  hut  one  he  travelled 
twenty  days  and  nights  together  without  going  tohcd^ 
andfjund  no  inconvenience  from  it.  He  ufed  to  car  ry 
with  him  afmall  tea-kett'e,  fome  cup<,  a  little  pot  of 
fweetmeats,  and  a  fe:u  loaves.  At  the  pojl-houfe  hi: 
could  get  his  water  toiled,  fend  out  fr  milk,  and  ?naks 
bis  repajlt  while  his  man  lusnt  totha  auberge.'* 
N 


(     146     ) 

detail;  of  laborious  accuracy  and  minute  exa- 

mination  ;  and    tlierefore   he  had   the    proper 

qualities  for  one  who  was  to    lead    the   way  in 

refearchcs  where  all  was  ignorance,  confufion, 

and  local  cuRorw.     Who  but  fuch  a  man  could 

have  collected    a  body   of  information,   which 

has  made  even  profeflional  men  acquainted  with 

interefling  facls  that  they  never  before  knew  ; 

and  has  given  the  EngTifh  reader  a  more  exadl 

knowledge  of  practices  followed  in  Ruiha   and 

Spain,   than  he  before  had  of  thofe  in  his  own 

country.?   This  minutenefs  of  detail  was   what 

he  ever  regarded  as  his  peculiar  province.     As 

he  was  of  all  men  the  moft  modeft  eftimator  of 

his  own  abilities,  he  was  ufed   to  fay,    **I  am 

thQ  plodder,  who  goes  about  to  colled:  materials 

for  men  of  genius  to  make  ufe  of."     Let  thofe 

who  look  with  faflidioufnefs   upon  long  tables 

of  rules  and  orders,  and  meafurements  of  cells 

and    work-rooms,    given    in   feet   and   inches, 

coniider,  that  v/hen  a  fcheme  is   brought   into 

practice,  thefe   fmall   circumftances  nmil  have 

iheir  place  ;  and  that  the  moit  ingenious  plans 

often  fail  in  their  execution  for  want  of  adjuft- 

ment  in  the  nicer  parts.     Perhaps   even    the 

great  Frederic   of  Pruffia  was  more   indebted 

for  fuccefs  to  the  exaclnefs  of  his  difpoiitions  in 

every  minute  particular  connected   with  prac- 


f     147     ) 

ircc,  t/ivTii  to  deep  and  fublime  views  of  gene- 
ral principles. 

From  a  (iinilar  cafl:  of  mind,  Mr.  Howard 
was  a  friend  to  fnbordination,  and  all  the  de- 
corums of  regular  fociety  ;.  nor  did  he  dillike 
vigorous  exertions  of  civil  authority,  when  di- 
rected to  laudat)le  purpoies.  .He  interfered 
little  in  difputes  relative  to  the  theory  of  go- 
vernment;  but  was  contented  to  take  fyftems 
of  fovereignty  as  he  found  them  eftabliihed  in 
various  parts  of  the  world,  fatisficd  v.'ith 
prompting  fuch  an  application  of  their  powers 
as  might  promote  the  welfare  of  the  refpecfive 
communities.  A  (fate  of  imprifonment  bein  r 
that  in  wiiich  the  rights  of  men  are,  in  great 
part,  at  leaft,  fufpended,  it  was  natural  that 
his  thoughts  /hould  be  more  converfant  with  a 
people  as  the  fubjeds,  than  as  the  fourcc,  of 
authority.  Yet  he  well  knew,  and  properly 
valued,  the  ineftimable  bleflings  of  political 
freedom,  as  oppofed  to  defpotifm  ;  and,  among 
the  nations  of  Europe,  he  confidered  the  Dutch 
and  Swifs  as  affording  the  beff  examples  of  a 
ftrict  and  fteady  police,  conduded  upon  princi- 
ples'of  equity  and  humanity.  To  the  charac- 
ter of  the  Dutch  he  was,  indeed,  peculiarly 
partial ;  and  frequently  alferted,  tliat  he  Hiould 


(     M8     ) 

prefer  Holland  for  his  place  of  refulence,  Co 
any  other  foreign  country.  T  can  acl<«,  from 
undoubted  authority,  th^t  Mr.  Howard  was 
one  of  thofe  who  (in  the  language  of  the  great 
Lord  Ciiarliam)  *'  rejoiced  that  America  had 
refuted/'  and  triumphed  in  her  final  fuccefs; 
and  that  he  was  principally  attached  to  the  po- 
pular part  of  our  conftitution  ;  and  that  in  hiS 
own  county  he  diftinguifiied  himfelf  by  a  fpi- 
rited  oppolltion  to  ariftocratical  influence. 

His  peculiar  habits  of  life,  and  the  exclufive 
attention  he  beftowed  in  his  later  years  on  a 
few  objects,  caufed  him  to  appear  more  averfe 
tofociety  than  I  think  he  really  was;  and  it 
has  been  mentioned  as  an  Unfortunate  circura- 
flance,  that  his  jfhynefs  and  refer ve  frequently 
kept  him  out  of  the  way  of  perfons  from  whom 
he  mio-ht  have  derived  much  uleful  infonriati- 
tion.  But  it  is  vain  to  deiire  things  incompa- 
tible. Mr.  Howard  can  fcarcely  be  denied  to 
have  chofen  the  bell  way,  upon  the  whole,  of 
conducing  his  enquiries ;  and  if  he  had  been  a 
a  more  comfanhnable  man,  more  ready  to  in- 
dulge his  own  curiofity,  and  gratify  that  of 
others,  he  would  no  longer  have  pofTefled  one 
of  the  chief  advantages  he  brought  to  his  great 
work.     Yet  while  he  afTiduoufly  iliunned  alj 


(  149  ; 

engagements  which  would  ha-ve  involved  him 
in  the  forms  and  dilFipation  of  fociety,  he  was 
by  no  means  difinclined  to  enter  into  conver- 
faiions  on  his  particular  topics  ;  on  the  contra- 
ry, he  was  often  extremely  communicative, 
and  would  enliven  a  fniall  circle  with  the  moft 
entertaining  relations  of  his  travels  and  ad- 
ventures. 

Mr.  Howard  had  in  a  hio-h  den-ree  that  ref- 
pectful  attention  to  the  female  fex  which  fo 
much  characterifes  the  genclemnn.  Perhaps, 
indeed,  I  may  here  be  i-eferring  to  rules  of 
politenefs  which  no  longer  exifl.  But  he  v/as 
as  thoroughly  imprelled  with  the  maxim  of 
place  aux  diUries  as  any  Frenchman,  though 
without  the  llrain  of  light  and  complimentary 
gallantry  which  has  accompanied  it  in  the  in- 
dividuals of  chat  nation.  His  was  a  niore  fe« 
rious  fentiment,  connected  with  the  uniform 
praclice  of  giving  up  his  own  eafe  and  accom- 
modation, for  the  fake  of  doing  a  real  kindnefs 
to  any  female  of  decent  charader.  It  is  ex- 
cellently illuftrated  by  an  anecdote  related  ia 
a  magazine,  by  a  perfon  who  chanced  to  fail 
with  him  in  the  packet  from  Holyhead  to  Dub- 
lin,  when  the  veffel  being  much  crowded,  Mr. 

Howard  refigued  his  bed  to  a  fervant-maid, 
N-2-  ' 


(    15°    ) 

and  took  up  wiih   the   cabin  floor  for  himfelf. 
It  is  likewlfe  dlfnlaved  thron^rhout  his  works, 
by  the  warmth  with  which  he  always  cenlhrcs 
the  pPddice  of  putting  female  prifoners  in  irons, 
and  expoling  them  to  any  harlh  and  indelicate 
treatment.      He  was  fond  of  nothing  fo  much 
as  the  converfation  of  women  of  educati  on  and 
cultivated    manners,  and  itudied  to  attach  them 
by  little  elegant  prefeius,  and  oiher   marks  uf 
atrentioji.     Lidced,    his  foft  tone  of  voice  and 
genrlenefs  of  demeanour  might  be  thought   to 
approach    fomewhat     to    the  eiFeminate,  and 
would  furprife  choic  who  iiad  known  him  only 
by  the  eiiergy  of  his  exertions.      In   his  judg- 
ment of  female  character,  it  \va.s   manifefl  thac 
the  idea  of  his  lod  Harriet  was  the  ilandard  of 
excellence;  and,  if  ever  he  had  married  again, 
a  refemblancc   to  her    would   have  been    the 
principal  motive  of  his   choice.     I  recolleifl:  to 
thispurpcfe  a  fingular  anecdote,  which  he  re- 
Taied  to  us  on  his  return  from  one  of  his  tours. 
In  going  from  one  town  in  Holland  to  another 
in  the  common   pafTage    boat,    he    was    placed 
r.ear  an  elderly  gentleman,  who  had  in   com- 
pany a  young  lady  of  a  nioft  engaging  manner 
and  appearance,  which  very  ftrongly  remind- 
ed him  of  his  H-irriet.     He  was  fo  muchftruck 
vith  her,  that,  on  arriving  at  the  place  of  dv- 


(     '5'     ) 

ilination,  he  caafed  hislerva'it  to  follow  them, 
and  get  intelligence  who  they  were.  It  was 
not  w:thout  fo'iie  disappointment  th:^t  he  learn- 
ed, that  the  old  geritletnan  was  an  eminent 
merchant,  and  theyourig  lady, — his  nvtfc 

Mr.  Howard's  prediledlon  for  female  focie- 
\y,  v/as  in  p  trt  a  cor.fequence  of  his  abhorrence 
of  every  thing  grofs  and  licentious.  His  own 
language  and  manners  were  invariably  pure 
and  delicate  ;  and  the  freedoms  which  pats  un- 
cenfnred  or  even  applauded  in  the  proinifcuous 
companies  of  men,  would  have  afFeded  him 
with  fenfations  of  difguft.  For  a  perfon  pof- 
fclFed  of  fuch  feelings,  to  have  brought  him- 
fclf  to  fubmit  to  fuch  frequent  communication 
with  t\\Q  mott  abandoned  of  mankind,  was  per« 
haps  a  greater  triumph  of  duty  over  inclina- 
tion than  any  other  he  obtained  in  the  profecu- 
tion  of  his  dcfigns.  Yet  the  nature  of  his  er- 
rand to  prifons  probably  infpired  a  we  and  rcfpecl 
in  the  moft  diiTolute  ;  and  I  think  he  has  record- 
ed, that  he  never  met  with  a  fingle  infult  from 
the  prifoners  in  any  of  the  gaols  he  vifited. 

As  Mr.  Howard  was  fo  eminently  a  religioas 
charafler,  it  may  be  expected  that  Ibmewhat 
more  fhould  be  laid  of  the  peculiar  tenets  he 


(     '52    ) 

adopted.     But,  befides  that   this  was  a  topic 
which  did   .not    enter  into   our   converfations, 
I    confefs,   I  do    not   perceive    how    his   ge- 
neral    plan  of  condud  was   likely  to  be  influ- 
enced by   any  peculiarity  of  that  kind.     The 
principle  of  religious  duty,  wliich  is  nearly  the 
fame  in  all  fylldms,  and  differs  rather  in  lirength 
than  in  kind  in  different  perfons,  is  furely  fuf- 
ficient  to  account  for  all  that  he  did  and.under. 
went  in  promoting   the  good    of  mankind,  by 
modes   which   Providence  feemed   to  place  be- 
fore him.      Tt  has  been  fuggeited,  that  he  was 
much  under   tiie  influence  of  the  doclrine  of 
predeftination  ;   and  I  know  not  what  of  ftern- 
nefs  has  been  attributed   to  him  as  its  natural 
confequence.      For  my    own    part,  I    am   not 
able  to  difcover  in  w-hat  thofe  notions  of  Pro-- 
vidence,  general  and  particular,  which  make 
part  of  the  profefTion  of  all  religions,  differ  el- 
fentially  from  the  opinions  of  the  predeflinari- 
ans ;    and,  from  manifold   obfervation,    I    am. 
certain,  that  the  reception  of  the  doctrine  of 
predeflination,  as  an  article  of  belief,  does  not 
necelTarily   imply  thofe  practical  confequences 
which  might  feem  dediicible  from  it.     The  lan- 
guage, at  leaft,  of  our  lower  dalles  of  people 
is  almoft  univerfally  founded  upon  it ;  but  when, 
one  ihera  dies  of  an  infectious  dileaie;  not  with-. 


(     ^53    ) 

ftanding  the  by  (landers  all  fpenk  of  the  event 
as  fated  and  inevitable,  yet  each,  for  himfelf, 
does  not  the  lefs  avoid  the  infection,  or  the  lefs 
recur  to  medical  aid  if  attacked  by  it.  AVith 
refped  to  Mr.  Howard,  he  never  Teemed  to 
adopt  the  idea  that  he  was  moved  by  an  irre- 
fiftible  inipulfe  to  his  defigns ;  for  they  were 
the  fubjed  of  much  fought  and  difcufTion: 
nor  did  he  confront  dangers  becaufe  he  had  a 
perfuafion  that  he  fliould  be  prefer ved  from 
their  natural  confequences,  but  becaufe  he  was 
elevated  above  them.  This  fentiment  he  has 
hin)felf  m(re  than  once  expreffed  in  print  ;  and 
furely  none  could  be  either  more  rational,  or 
more  adequate  to  the  effects  produced.  ''  Be- 
ing in  the  way  of  my  duty  (fays  he),  I  fear 
no  evil.''  I  may  venture  to  aifirm,  that  thofe 
of  the  medical  profeflion,  whofe  fearlefTnefs  is 
not  merely  the  refult  of  habit,  muft  reafon  up- 
on the  fame  principle,  when  they  calmly  expofe 
themfelves  to  fimilar  hazards.  They,  for  the 
moft  part,  ufe  no  precautions  againO:  contagion  : 
Mr.  Howard  did  ufe  fume  ;  though  their  ef- 
fects were  probably  tricing  compared  with  that 
of  bis  habitual  tenjp^nce  and  cleanlinefs, 
and  his  untroubled  ferenSty  of  mind.  On  the 
whole,  his  religious  confidence  does  not  appear 
to  have  been  of  a  nature  different  from  that  of 


(     154     ) 

other  pious  men  ;  -but  to  be  fo  fteadily  and  uni- 
formly under  its  iniiuence,  and  to  be  elevated 
by  it  to  Ibch  a  fuperiority  lo  all  worldly  confi- 
derations,  can  be  the  lot  of  none  bat  thofe  who 
have  lornifcd  ea,rly  habits  of  referring  every 
thing  to  the  divine  will,  and  of  tixing  all  their 
views  on  futurity. 

From  Mr.  Howard's  connexions  with  thofe 
feCis  who  have  ever  iliewii  a  particular  abhor- 
rence of  the  frauds  and  fuperftitions  of  pope- 
ry, it   might  be  fuppofed,  that  he  would  look 
with  :a  prejudiced   eye  on   the   profelTors    and 
lifiinifters  of  that    p  erf uafion.     But   fuch   was 
his    veneration  for  true  vital  religion,  that  he 
was    as  ready  to  pay  it  honour  when    he  met 
with  it  in  the  habit    of  a  monk,  as.  under  the 
garb  of  a  teacher  :  and  thi'oughout  his  works, 
as  well  as  in  converfation,  he  ever  dwelt  with 
great  complacency  on  the   pure  zeal    for   the 
crood  of  mankind,  and  genuine  Chrirtian  chari- 
ty, which  he  frequently  discovered  among  the 
Roman  Catholic   clergy,  both  regular  and  fe* 
cular.     He   was  no  friend  to  that  hafty  difTo- 
lution  of  convents  and"monaftaries  which  forr 
med  part  of  the  -multifarious  reforms  of  the 
late  Emperor   of   Germany.     He    pitied   the 
aged  inmates,  male  and  female,   ot  thefe  qu^eft. 


(    ^55    ) 

abodes,  who  were  driven  from  their  beloved 
retreats  into  the  wide  world,  with  a  very 
flender  and  often  ill-paid  pittance  for  their 
Iiipport.  *^  Why  'might  not  they  (he  v/ould 
fay)  be  fufFered  gradually  to  die  av/ay,  and  be 
tranfplanted  from  one  religions  houfe  to  ano- 
ther as  their  numbers  leflened  ?'*  Thofe  or- 
ders which  make  it  the  great  duty  of  their 
profefPion  to  attend  with  the  kindefb  affiduity 
upon  the  iick  and  inipriforied,  and  who  there- 
fore came  continually  Vv'ithin  his  notice,  feem- 
ed  to  conciliate  his  good  will  to  the  whole 
fraternity  ;  and  the  virtues  of  order,  decency, 
fobriety,  and  charity,  fo  much  akin  tcrhisown, 
naturally  inclined  him  to  a  kind  of  fellowihip 
with  them.  He  rigoroufly,  however,  abftained 
from  any  compliances  with  their  worihip  which 
he  thought  unlawful  ;  and  gave  them  his  ef- 
teem  as  men,  without  the  lead  difpofition  to 
concur  with  them  as   theologians. 

Such  were  the  great  lines  of  Mr.  Howard's 
character — lines  ftrongly  marked,  and  fufficient 
to  difcriminaie  him  from  any  of  thofe  who 
have  appeared  in  a  part  fomewhat  fimihr  to 
his  own  on  the  theatre  of  the  world.  The 
union  of  qualities  which  fo  peculiarly  fitted 
him  for  the  poll:  he  undertook,  is  not  likely,  in 


(     i5<5     ) 

our   age,  again  to  take  place;    yet  different 
combinations   may  be   employed  to  effect   the 
fame  purpofes  ;   and,  with  refpect    to  the  ob- 
]eCis  of  police  and  humanity  concerning  >\hich 
he  occupied  himfelf,   the   information    he  has 
ollecled  will   render  the  repetition  of  labours 
like  his  unnecefTary.     To  propofe  as  a  model, 
a  character  marked  with  fuch  fmgularities,  and? 
no  doubt,  with  fome  foibles,  would  be  equally 
vain  and  injudicious  ;  but  his   firm  attachment 
to  principle,  highfenfe  of  honor,  pure  benevo- 
lence,   unfhaken   cpnflancy^  and   indefatigable 
perleverance,  may  properly  be  held  up  to  the 
view  of  all  perions  occupying  important  fta li- 
ons, or  engaged  in  ul'eful  enterpnfes,    as  quali. 
ties  not  lels  to  be  imitated,  than  ad-mired. 

I  iliall  conclude  with  fome  account  of  the  li- 
terary honors  which  Mr.  Howard  has  received 
from  his  countrym.en.  It  would,  indeed,  have 
been  extraordinary,  if,  while  fenates  and  courts 
or  judicature  offered  him  their  tribute  of  ap- 
plaufe,  poetry  and  eloquence  ihould  have  fliewu 
an  infeniibility  to  his  merits.  Befides  the  ac- 
knowledgments paid  him  in  every  publication 
upon  topics  fmiilar  to  his  own,  he  became  ths 
theme  of  the  elegant  mule  of  Mr.  Hayley,  vv^ho 
addrclTca  to  him  an  ode  in  the  year  lyZo,   to 


C    157    ) 

^vhich  reference  has  already  been  made.    Th^ 
celebrated  poem  is,   by  the   American  Editor, 
fubjoined  to  the  prefent   work.     In   the  fuc- 
ceeding  year,  Mr.  Burke,  adverting,  in  a  fpeeck 
to  the   Freemen  of  Briftol,   to   a  fad  in  Mr. 
Howard's  book,  ftrnck  oat,  with   the  enthufi- 
afm  of  genius,  into  a  panegyrical  digreflion  on 
his  plans  and  adions,  decorated   with  his  pecu- 
liar ftrain  of  glowing  imagery.     Nothing,  per- 
haps, can  more  forcibly  exprefs   the  general 
4dea   entertained    of    Mr.    Howard's    exalted 
worth  than   the   following  extradl   from  that 
fpeech.      "  I  cannot  name  this  gentleman,  fnys 
*'  Mr.  Burke,  I  cannot  name  this  gentleman, 
'*  without  remarking  that  his  labours  and  wri- 
*'  tings  have  done  much  to  open  the  eyes  and 
*'  hearts  of  mankind.     He   has  vifited  all  Eu- 
*-^  rope,  not  to  furvey  the  fumpxuoufnefs  of  pa- 
^^  laces,  nor  the  ftatelinefs  of  temples;   not  to 
^*  make  accurate  meafurements  of  the  remains 
*^  of  ancient  grandeur,  nor  to  form  a  fcale  of 
*^  the  curiofities  of  modern  art ;  not  to  collect 
*^  medals,  nor  to  collate   manufcripts ;  but  to 
^^  dive  into  the  depths  of  dungeons,  to  plunge 
*'  into  the  infediou  of  hofpitals  ;  to  furvey  the 
'^  manfions  of  forrow  and  pain  ;   to  take  guage 
**  and   dimenfions    of  mifery,   depreflion,    and 
^  contempt  j  to  remember   the  forgotten ;  to 


C     158    ) 

'•  attend  to  the  negkaed  ;  to  vifit  the  forfak. 
^'  en  ;  and  to  compare  and  collate  the  diftrefles 
'^  of  all  men  in  all  countries.  His  plan  is  ori- 
''  ginal,  and  it  is  as  full  of  genius,  as  it  is  of 
'^  humanity.  It  is  a  voyage  of  philanthropy 
*^  — a  circumnavigation  of  charity!  Already 
^'  the  benefit  of  this  labor  itfelf  is  felt  mere  or 
''  lefs  in  every  country  :  I  hope  he  will  anti- 
^'  cipate  his  final  reward  by  feeing  all  its  effeds 
^^  fully  realized  in  his  own.  He  will  receive, 
*^  not  in  retail  but  in  grofs,  the  reward  of  thofe 
^^  who  vifit  the  prifoner,  and  he  has  fo  far 
^*  foreflalled  and  monopolifed  this  branch  of 
'^  charity,  that  there  will  be,  I  trufl,  little 
''•  room  to  merit  by  fuch  acls  of  benevolence 
''  hereafter.^'  This  fpeech  was  afterwards 
printed,  and  the  palTage  concerning  Mr.  How- 
ard was  copied  into  various  periodical  writings, 
and  read  with  univerfal  approbation.  His 
charader  was  even  exhibited  on  the  ftage  ;  for 
a  comedy  qf  Mrs.  Inchbald's,  entitled  Such 
Things  Are,  contained  a  part  evidently  mo- 
delled upon  his  peculiar  caft  of  benevolence, 
which  for  a  time  rendered  the.  piece  popu- 
lar. 

Dr.   Darwin's  very  beautiful  poem   of  the 
Botanic  Gardeti,  printed  in  178^,  amidlt  an  un« 


(     159    ) 

expected  variety  of  fubjecls,  prefer. ts  an  eulo- 
gium  of  Mr.  Howard,  fo  appropriate  and  poet- 
ical, that  I  am  fure  no  reader  of  tafte  will  re- 
quire an  apology  from  me  forinferting  it. 

— And  now  BEXEVCLENCE  !  thy  rsys  divine 
Dart  round  the  globe  from  Zembla  to  the  Line  : 
O  'er  each  dark  prifon  plays  the  cheering  light, 
Like  northern  luftres  o'er  the  vault  of  night. — 
From  realm  to  realm,  with  crofs  or  crefcent  cr own'd , 
Where'er  mankind  and  mifery  are  found, 
O'er  burning  fands,  deep  waves,  or  wilds  of  fnow, 
Thy  Howard  journeying  feeks  the  houfe  of  woe. 
Down  many  a  winding  ftep  to  dungeons  dank, 
Where  an":uifli  wails  aloud,  and  fetters  clank  ; 
To  caves  bedrew'd  with  many  a  mouldering  boi^^^ 
And  cells,  whofe  echoes  only  learn  to  groan ; 
Where  no  kind  bars  a  whifpering  friend  difclofe. 
No  funbeam  enters,  and  no  zephyr  blows. 
He  treads,  inemulous  of  fame  or  wealth, 
Profufp  of  toil,  and  prodigal  of  health; 
With  foft  afTuafive  eloquence  expands 
Power's  rigid  heart,  and  opes  his  clenching  hands  ; 
Leads  ftern-ey'd  jufUce  to  the  dark  domains. 
If  not  to  fever,  to  relax  the  chains  ; 
Or  guides  awakenM  mercy  through  the  gloom. 
And  Ihews  the  prifon,  filler  to  the  tomb  ! — 
Gives  to  her  babes  the  fcif-devoted  wife, 
To  her  fond  hufband  liberty  and  life  ' — 
— The  fplrits  of  the  good,  who  bend  from  high 


Wkle  o'er  thefe  eanlilj  fcenes  their  partial  eye,. 
When  firfl:,  array'd  in  virtue's  pureft  robe, 
They  faw  her  Howard  traverfingtlie  globe  ; 
Saw  round  his  brows  her  fiin-like  glory  blaze 
In  arrowy  circles  of  unwearied  rays  ; 
MiRook  a  mortal  for  an  angel- gueft, 
And  afi<'d  what  fcraph-foot  the  earth  impreft. 
— Onward  he  moves  ' — Difeafe  and  death  retire, 
And  murmuring  demons  hate  him,  and  admire. 

After  rhefe  lines,   the  Editor  avails  hinifelf 
of  this  favorable  opportunity  of  exhibiting  ta 
the  public,  an  extracl  from  the  funeral  fermon 
occafioned  by  the  death  of  Mr.  Howard.     And 
as  it  was  delivered  under  the  influence  of  heart- 
felt emotions,  accompanied  with  ferious  regret, 
and  refers  to    the  leading  principle   of  all  his 
adions,  it  is  prefunied,   that  it  will    not     be- 
deenied  mifplnccd,    at  the  clofe  of  a  volume, 
the  purpofe  of  which  is,  to  reprefent  in  ftrong, 
faithful,  and  glowing  colours  the  character  of 

the     BENEVOLENT    HoWARD. 

<'  Thofe  who  beft  knew  Mr.  Howard,^'  fays 
Mr.  Palm.er*,  in  his  fermon  on  the  death  of 
his  benevolent  friend,  '*  are  fo  well  acquainted 

*  Riverend  Mr*  Palmer  of  Hackney^ 


(     16:     ) 

with  the  ftrength   of  his   Chriftian  principles, 
and  with  his  evangelical  views,  as  not  to  en- 
tertain a  doubt  but  that,  during  his  hift  ficknefs 
and  in  fhe  profpecl  of  death,    (melancholy  as 
his  fituation  was,  at  a  diftance    from    all   his 
friends)    he  exercifed   the   greatcft  degree   of 
firmnefs,  patience,  and  lubmifllon  to  the  Divine 
will  ;  a  lively  faith  in  the  promifes  of  the   gof- 
pel ;  a  cheerful  confidence  in  the  grace  of  God, 
in  a  Redeemer,   for  accceptance,    renouncing, 
as  he  often  had  explicitly  done,  all  pretenlions 
to  merit  by  all  the  good  Avorks  he  had  perform- 
ed ;  and  an  humble  triumph  in    the  profped  of 
life  eternal,  as  the  free    gift  of  God  through 
leflis  Chrlft.     A  little  before  he  left  England 
when  a  friend  expreffed  his  concern  at  partinir 
with   him,   from    an    spprehenfion    that   they 
Ihould  never  meet  again,  he  cheerfully  replied, 
"  Wefhall  fcon  meet  in  Heaven  ;"  and,  as  he 
rather  expe(fled  to  die  cf  the  plague  in  Egypt, 
he  added,    *'  the   way  to  Heaven    from  Grand 
Cairo  is  as   near    as   from   London.'''     Ke  that 
flius  lived  in  the  hope  of  immcrtality,  may  v/ell 
be  fuppofed    at   death    to  have  experienced   a 
joy  unfpeakable  and  full  of  glcry." 

'■Thus  lived  and  thus  died  tTi"c  diilmguifhcd 
-'.'lanrhronil^,  th's  briglit  ornanient  of  hurii^a 
O  2 


(     i6i    ) 

nature  and  of  the  religion  of  Jefus.  As  his 
life  was  (ingularly  ufeful,  his  death  was  equally 
glorious.  He  fell  a  martyr  in  the  caufe  of  hu- 
maniry.  As  thoufands'blefl'ed  him  while  living 
millions  will  lament  him  now  dead.  A  great- 
er lofs  this  country,  may  I  not  fay  this  world, 
has  feldom  fuftained.  It  may  appear  to  many 
a  myflerious  providence,  that  fuch  a  friend  to 
his  fpecies  fliould  be  cut  ofFai  a  time  when  h^ 
had  fuch  noble  ends  in  view,  and  when,  confi- 
dering  the  vigour  of  his  conftitution  at  the  age 
of  fixty-iive,  he  might  have  been  expected  ta 
continue  fome  years  as  a  blefling  to  his  native 
country,  particularly  in  promoting  the  execu- 
tion of  the  plans  v/hich  he  had  fugp;ened  in  his 
publications.  But  his  work  was  done  :  the  de- 
iigns  of  Providence  by  him  were  accomplifted  ;. 
and  doubtlefsall  the  circumflances  of  his  death, 
were  wifely  ordered  by  Ilim  wlio  doth  all 
things  well,  and  v.'ho  can  eafdy  raife  up  other 
i-iitrumentsfcr  perfeci'ing  what  he  had  begun/* 

*'  His  being  cut  off  in  a  foreign  country,  how- 
ever grievous  it  may  be  to  his  friends  heie,  is  a 
circnmilance,  Vvhich  may  probably  be  wifely 
deiigncd,  and  k'jppily  over-ruled,  for  fome 
\zr/  important  purpol'es  in  that  riling  kingdom, 
which  will  elteeniitfelfhcjioured  by  entombing 


(     1^3     ) 

fucli  a  patriotic  EngliOiTnan  ;  and  where  a  fpi- 
rit  of  enmlation  may  probably  be  excited  to 
imitate  his  virtues,  and  to  adopt  his  plans,  for 
promoting  the  growing  glory  and  happineis  of 
that  vaft  empire." 

^^  While  therefore  we  devoatly  praife  God 
for  what  he  had  done  by  tliis  his  eminent  fer- 
vanr,  let  us  fubmit  to  his  will,  and  adore  his 
wiidom  and  fovereignty  in  his  removal.  And 
let  us  make  the  beft  improvement  of  fo  affecting 
a  difpenfation  ;  particularly  by  cultivating  that 
benevolence  by  which  the  deceafed  was  actuat- 
ed, and  by  doing  what  we  can,  in  our  different 
fpheres,  for  rt-pairing  his  lols.  This  will  be 
the  betl  way  of  exprelling  our  veneration  for 
his  character,    and    doing  honour  to  his  nie- 


*^  That  o-thers,  upon  his  deceafe,  would  be 
excited  to  proi'ccute  foiiic  of  his  fcbtfuies  foi* 
the  pubhc  good,  he  himfelf  had  a  firm  perfuaii- 
on.  Thispiade  him  the  lefs  anxious  about  his 
own  life,  whieli  his  friends  thought  of  fo  much 
importance-  In  the  lad  converfation  1  had 
with  bin),  when  I  exprefied  my  feaj-s  for  his 
fifety,  and  my  wifiies  that  he  could  have  been 
prevailed  upon  to  continue  at  h;3iiie,   -■   '.r-'cr 


(    1^4  ; 

to  carry  into   execution  the  generous  plans  he 
had  torraed  for  the  good  of  his  country,  his  an- 
fwer  was,    "  When  I  am  dead  Ibme  body  elfe 
will  take  up  the  matter  and  carry  it  through." 
God  grant    that   his  expe(fl:ations  may  be  veri* 
fied  ! — But  where  is  the  man  to  be  found  who 
is  like-minded   with   him?  Another  Howard 
this  country  cannot  hope  to  fee.     Nor  is  one, 
altogether  his  equal  now  needed.     He   laid   a 
foundation,  on  which  it  would  be  comparative- 
ly eafy  to  buijd.     He,   with  incredible    labour 
and  expence,  has  broken  up  the  ground,  pre- 
pared the  foil,  and  Town  the  feed  :  to  raife  and 
gather  the  crop  will  require  but  a  fmall  portion 
ofinduftry  and  public   fpirit.     And  are  there 
Rone  among  you,  ye  men  of  fortune  and  lei- 
fore,   in    whom    that  portion   of  induflry  and 
public  fpirit  is  to  be  found?   Ye  who,  in  the 
ilrongeft  terms  language  can  fupply,  celebrate 
the  philanthropy  of  the   deceafexl,  and   have 
fhewn  yourfeives  impatient  to   ered  a  monu- 
fnent  to  his  honor,  fo  as  fcarcely  to  be  reftrain- 
-ed  from  hurting  his  modefly  while   yet   alive  ; 
is  there  no  one  among  you  that  willies  to  inhe- 
rit his  virtues,  ^.nd  rear  the  glorious  fabric  he 
hiid  framed  ?    Who  that  has  the  ability   would 
sict  be  ambirious  of  the  honor  ?    if  it  be   honor 
«f  too  jgr-eaf  iriagnitude   for  a-ii  individual    to 


{    i65    ) 

grafp,  let  it  be  divided.  Here  is  enough  to 
adorn  many  a  brow.  Oh  that  all  in  the  high- 
er ranks  of  life  would  claiai  their  Ihare  !'' 

'Mf  but  a  for/  men  of  fortune  and  influence 
)iad  a  fpirit  equal  to  their  power,  whatableiled 
country  would  Britain  ibon  become  !  The  poor 
v/ould  be  more  happy  and  lefs  burthenfome. 
The  induftrious  would  live  in  eafe  :  the  idle 
and  profligate  would  be  reclaimed.  Crimes 
would  be  prevented  inftead  of  being  punifhed. 
Our  prifons  in  time  would  fcarce  need  humane 
vifitants,  but  v/ould  often  (like  fome  abroad) 
be  almofl;  empty  ;  at  leafl:  thofe  confined  in 
them  would  be  there  ufeful  to  the  community, 
and  not  dangerous  to  it  w'lendilcharged.  Mu- 
ny  would  go  out  reformed,  and  would  become 
good  members  of  fociety.  Thus  Englifnmen, 
who  vainly  boaft  of  their  liberty,  would  enjoy 
liberty:  would  refl:  in  their  beds,  and  travel  by 
day  or  by  night,  without  fear  of  being  mur- 
dered or  plundered  by  their  own  fpecies.  That 
it  is  otherwife,  is  in  a  great  meafure  ovving  to 
the  want  of  public  fpirit  in  men  of  rank  and 
power.  Would  to  God  that  the  lofs  of  one 
Patriot  may  prove  the  occafion  of  railing  up 
MANY  P' 


^^){<^¥^^^r(~^OK)i<)^s.^)K^^O^,He<-*0{t 


D    K    &c 


:  )^My^M-iemM^y0(^^^^ye^.^)i^}'^}¥:. 


ODE 


INSCRIBED  TO 


JOHN  HOWARD. 

L.L.D.  F.R.S. 


BY  WILLIAM  HAYLEY,    ESC 


-♦'   SECOND  TO  NONE, 


IN  THE  WORKS  OF  HUMANITY  AND  BENEVOLENCE.'* 


PHILADELPHIA, 


rRJNTED    FOR  JOHN    ORMK.OD,  ST  WILLIAM  \»'.  WOODWARP, 
AT  FRANKLI.m's  head,  NO.  4I,  CHESNUT-STREET, 

1794. 


ODE. 


IT'AV'RITE  of  Heaven,  and  friend  of  earth! 
Philanthropy,  benignant  power  ! 
AVhofe  Tons  difplay  no  doubtrul  worth, 
The  pageant  of  the  pafling  hour  ! 
Teach  me  to  paint,  in  deaihlefs  fong, 
Some  darling  from  thy  fiUal  throng, 
Whofe  deeds  no  party-rage  infpire, 
But  fill  th'  agreeing  world  with  one  defire, 
To  echo  his  renown,  refponfive  to  my  lyre  1 

Ah!   whither    lead'fl:   thou? — whence   that 
figh? 
What  found  of  woe  my  bofom  jars  ? 
Why  pafs,  where  Milery's  hollow  eye 
Glares  wildly  thro'  thofe  gloomy  bars? 
Is  Virtue  funk  in  thefe  abodes. 
Where  keen  remorfe  the  heart  corrodes; 


(      i7l     ) 

V.  here  guilt's  bafe  blood  with  frenzy  boils, 
Andbiafpherriy  the  mournful  fcene  en;bjoilsr  — 
From  this  inierual  gloom   w.y  ihudu'riiig   foul 
recoils. 

But  whence  thofe  fudden  facred  beams  ? 
OppreiTion  drops  his  iron  rod  ! 
And  all  the  brightening  dungeon  feenis 
To  fpeak  the  prefence  of  a  God. 
Philanthropy's  defcending  day 
Diffufes  unexpedled  ray  ! 
Lovelieft  of  angels  ! — at  her  fide 
Her    favorite     votary    flands  ; — her    Englifh 

pride, 
Thro'   horror's   manlions  led  by    this  cekflial 
guide 

Hail  I  generous  Ho^yARD  !  tho' thou  bear 
A  name  which  glory's  hand  fublime 
Has  blazon'd  oft,  with  guardian  care, 
In  characters  that  fear  not  time  ; 
For  thee  flie  fondly  fpreads  her  wings  ; 
For  thee  from  Paradife  frie  brings, 
More  verdant  than  her  laurel  bough, 
Such  wreaths  of  facred  palm,   as  ne'er  till  now 
The  fmiling    Seraph  twin'd  around  a  mortal 
brow. 


(     173     ) 

That  Hero's  *  praife  fliall  ever  bloom, 
Who  Ihielded  our  infulted  coaft ; 
And  launched  his  lightening  to  confume 
The  proiid  Invader's  routed  hofl. 
Brave  perils  raisM  his  noble  name  : 
But  thou  deriv'ft  thy  matchlefs  fame 
From  fcenes,  where  deadlier  danger  dwells  ; 
Where  fierce  Contagion,   with  aiFright,   repels 
Valor's  advent'rous  ftep  from  her    malignant 
cells. 

Where  in  the  dungeon's  loathfome  Ihade, 
The  fpeechlefs  Captive  clanks  his  chain, 
With  heartlefs  hope  toraife  that  aid 
His  feeble  cries  have  call  'd  in  vain  ; 
Thine  eye  his  dumb  complaint  explores ; 
Thy   voice  his  parting  breath  reftores  ; 
Thy  cares  his  ghaftly  vifage  clear 
From  Death's  chill  dew,  with  many  a  clotted 

tear. 
And  to  his  thankful  foul  returning  life  endear* 

What  precious  drug,   or  ftronger  charm. 
Thy  conftant  fortitude  infpires 
In  fcenes,  whence,  muttering  her  alarm. 


*  Charles  Howard,  Earl  of  Nottingham* 
P  2 


(      174     ) 

Med'cine*,  with  felfifh  dread,  retires? 
Nor  charm,  nor  drug,  dilpel  thy  fears  : 
Temperarice,  thy  better  guard,  appears  : 
For  thee  I  fee  her  fondly  till 
Her  cryftal  ci:ip  from  natnre^s  purell  rill ; 
Chief  iiourifher  of  life  !  bcH  artldote  of  ill  ! 

I  fee  the  hallowM  Ikade  of  KALESf , 
Who  felt,  like  thee,  lui  hiiirsan  woe, 

*  I'/Iujfcibat  fa^'zto  Mt'decina  tiinore,     Lucretius. 

7  Stephe7t  Hales  mv:ij^er  of  Teddington :  he  died  at 
the  age  of  ?> 4,  1761  ,*  and  has  betnjufly  called  •'  sin 
**  orjiami:ntiohisprofJfio}i,  as  a  cltrgyman,  and  to 
'•  Jiis  country,  as  a  philofophr,'.''^  1  had  the  happl- 
nefs  of  knovjir.g  this  excellent  mar.,  ivhtn  I  ivas  z'ery 
young  i  and  well  remember  the  vjarm  glow  of  hcnevo^ 
lence  which  iifed  to  animate  his  countenance,  in  rela- 
ting the  fuccefs  of  his  various  proJtcJsfarthe  oentfit  of 
■mankind.  I  have  frequently  heard  him  dwell  with 
great  pleafure  on  the  fortunate  incident  which  led  him 
to  the  difcovtry  of  his  lentilator.  to  which  I  have  allu- 
ded.-—'He  had  ordered  a  new  floor  for  one  of  his  rooms  ; 
his  carpenter  not  having  prepared  the  work  fo  foon  as 
he  expected,  he  thought  the  Jeafon  improper  for  laying 
dc'^'n  new  boards,  when  they  were  brought  to  his  houfj, 
and  gave  orders  for  their  being  depofitedin  his  barn  ; — • 
from  their  accidental  poj hi  on  in  that  place  ^  he  caught 
hiifufl  idtia  of  this  uf ef til  invent io)u 


(     175     ) 

And  taught  the  health. dimifing  gales 
Thro'  Horror's  murky  cells  to  blow, 
As  thy  protecting  angel  wait ; 
To  fave  thee  from  the  Ihares  of  fate, 
Commiilion'd  from  the  Eternal  i'hrone  : 
I  hear  him  praife,   in    wonder's  warmeu.   tone. 
The  virtues  of  thy  Iicart,  more  active  than  his 
own. 

Thy  foul  fupplies  new  funds  of  health 
That  fail  not,  in  the  trying  hour, 
Above  Arabia's  fpxy  wealtli 
And  Pharmacy's  reviving  power. 
The  tranfports  of  the  generous  mind, 
Feeling  its  bounty  to  mankind, 
Infpirit  every  mortal  part ; 
And,  far  more  potent  than  precarious  art, 
Give  radiance  to   the  eye,  and  vigour  to  the 
heart. 

Bleft  Howard  !  who  like  thee  can  feel 
This  vital  fpringin  all  its  force? 
New  ftar  of  philanthropic  zeal ; 
Enlight'ning  nations  in  thycourfe  ! 
And  fhedding  comfort's  Heavenly  dew 
On  meagre  want's  deferted  crew  ! 
Friend  to  the  wretch;  whom  friends  difclaim, 


(    '76    ) 

Who  feels  flern  juftice,  in  his  famifiiM  frame, 
A  perfecu ting  fiend  beneath  an  angePs  nauie. 

Authority  !  unfeeling;  power, 
AVliofe  iron  heart  can  coldly  doom 
The  debtor,  drag'd  froii)  pleafure's  bower, 
Tofickenin  the  dungeon's  gloom  ! 
O  might  thy  terror- flriking  call, 
Profuiion's  fons  alone  enthrall ! 
But  thou  canil  want  with  guilt  confound  : 
Thy  bonds  the  man  of  virtuous  toil  furround^ 
Driven   by  malicious  fate  within  thy    dreary 
bound. 

How  fav/ige  are  thy  flern  decrees  ? 
Thy  cruel  miniiler  I  fee 
A  v/eak^  laborious  viftim  feize. 
By  worth  entitled  to  be  free  ! 
Behold,  in  the  affiiding  ftrife. 
The  faithful  partner  of  his  life, 
In  vain  thy  ruthlefs  fervant  court. 
To  fpare  her  little  children's  fole  fupport. 
Whom  this   terrific  form  has  frighten'd  frOfii 
their  fport. 

Nor  weeps  {he  only  from  the  thought, 
Thofe  infants  muft  no  longer  ihare 
His  aid^  whofe  daily  labour  bought 


C     177     ) 

The  pittance  of  their  fcanty  fare. 
The  horrors  of  the  Icathfonie  jail 
Her  inly-bieediiig  heart  aiTail  : 
E'en  now  her  fears,  from  fondncfs  bred, 
See  the  loft  partner  of  her  faithful  bed 
Drop,   ill  that   murderous  fcene,  his  pale,  ex- 
piring head. 

Take  comfort  yet  in  thefc  keen  pains. 
Fond  mourner  .'  check  thy  gulhing  tears  ! 
The  dungeon  now  no  more  contains 
Thofe  perils  which  thy  farxy  fears  : 
No  more  contagion's  baleful  breath 
Speaks  it  the  hideous  cave  of  death  : 
Howard  has  planted  fafcly  there  ; 
Pure  minifter  of  light  !  his  heavenly  care 
Has  purg'd    the  damp  of  death  from  that  pel. 
luted  air. 

Nature  !   on  thy  maternal  breafl 
For  ever  be  his  worth  engraved  1 
Thy  bofom  only  can  atteft 
How  many  a  life  his  toil  has  favM : 
Nor  in  thy  refcued  Ions  alone. 
Great  parent!   this  thy  guardian  own  I 
His  arm  defends  a  dearer  fiave ; 


(     178    ) 

Woman,  thy  darling  !  'tis  his  pride  to  fave* 
From  evils,  that  furpafs  the  horrors  of  the 
grave. 

Ye  fprightly  nymphs,  by  fortune  nurft, 
Who  fport  in  joy's  unclouded  air. 
Nor  fee  the  diftant  ftorms,  thatburft 
In  ruin  on  the  humble  fair  ; 
Ye  knov/  not  to  what  bitter  fmart 
A  kindred  form,  a  kindred  heart, 
Is  often  doomM,  in  life's  low  vale, 
Where  frantic  fears   the  fimple  mind  afTail, 
And  fierce  affliflions    prefs,    and  friends  and 
fortune  fail. 


*  Mr.  Hozvard  has  been  the  happy  inflrtiment  of 
prefarving  fetnale  prijoizers  from  an  infamous  ancliii- . 
decent  outrage, — It  zuas  for?7ierly  a  cujiojn  i.i  our 
gaols  to  load  their  legs  and  thighs  with  irons ,  for  the 
deteflable  purpoje  of  extorting  7')toney'  from  ih^^Je  injU' 
red/iifferers, — I'his  circumjlance,  unknown  to  ?ne  when 
the  Ode  was  written,  has  tempted  me  to  introduce  th^ 
few  additional  Jlanzas,  as  it  is  7ny  ardent  wijh  to  ren"- 
der  this  tribute  to  an  exalted  character  as  little  unwor^ 
thy  as  I  can  of  the  'very  extenfvuQ  and  fuhlims  f^erit 
which  it  afpires  to  cdebratSt 


(     1-9    ) 

See  yon'  fweet  ruftic,  drown'd  in  tears* 
It  is  not  guilt — 'tis  raifery's  flood, 
While  dire  fufpicion's  charge  flie  hears 
Of  fliedding  infant,  filial  blood  : 
Nature's  fond  dupe  !  but  not  her  foe  I 
That  form,  that  face,   thefallhood  ihew  : — 
Yet  law  exacts  her  ftern  demand  ; 
She  bids  the  dungeon's  grating  doors  expand. 
And  the  young  captive  faints  beneath  the  gaol- 
er's hand. 

Ah,  Ruffian  !  ceafe  thy  favage  aim  ! 
She  cannot  'fcape  thy  harih  controul  : 
Shall  iron  load  that  tender  frame, 
And  enter  that  too -yielding  foul  ? — 
Unfeeling  wretch  !   of  bafeft  mind  ! 
To  mifery  deaf,  to  beauty  blind  ! 
I  fee  thy  vidim  vainly  plead  ; 
For  the  worfl  fiend  of  hell's  malignant  breed, 
Extortion,  grins   applaufe,   and    prompts  thy 
ruthlefs  deed. 

With  brutal  force,  andribbald  jeft. 
Thy  manacles  I  fee  thee  fliake  ; 
Mocking  the  merciful  requeft. 
That  modefty  and  juftice  make  ; 
E'en  nature's  iliriek,  ^vith  angui/Ii  ftrong^ 
Fails  to  iufpend  the  impious  wrong  ; 


Till  Howard's  hand,  with  brave  difdain. 
Throws  far  away  this  execrable  chain  : 
O  Nature,  fpread  his  fame  thro'  all  thy  ample 
reign  ! 

His  care,  exulting  Britain  found 
Here  firft  difplay'd,  not  here  confin'd! 
No  fingle  trad  of  earth  could  bound 
The  active  virtues  of  his  mind. 
To  all  the  lands,  where'er  the  tear, 
That  mourn'd  the  prifoner's  wrong  fevere, 
Sad  Pity's  glift'ning  cheek  impearVd, 
Eager  he  ileer'd,  with  every  fail  unfurl'd, 
A   friend  to  every   clime  •    a   Patriot  of   the 
World! 

Ye  nations  thro'  whofe  fair  domain 
Our  flying  fons  of  joy  have  pad, 
By  pleafnre  dri\ien  with  loofen'd  rein, 
Aftonifh'd  that  they  fiew  fo  faft ! 
How  did  the  heart-improving  fight 
Awake  your  wonder  and  delight. 
When,  in  her  unexampled  chace, 
Philanthropy  outflript  keen  pleafure's  pace. 
When  with  a  warmer  foul  ihe  ran  a  nobler 
race  I 


(  i8'  ; 

Where  'er  her  generous  Briton  went, 
Princes  his  fuppUcants  became  : 
He  feem'd  the  enquiring  angel,  fent 
Tofcrutinize  their  fecrct  fhame*« 
Captivity,  where  he  appeared, 
Her  languid  head  with  tranfport  rear'd  ; 

And  gazing  on  her  godlike  gucft, 

Like  thofe  of  old,  whom  Heaven's  pure  fer- 
vant  bleft. 

E'en  by  his  fhadow  feem'd  of  demons  difpoffeft. 

Amaz'd  her  foreign  children  cry. 
Seeing  their  patron  pafs  along  ; 
**  O  !  who  is  he,  whofe  daring  eye 
Can  fearch  into  our  hidden  wrong  ? 
What  monarch's  Heaven-dire<fled  mind. 
With  royal  bounty  unconfin'd. 
Has  tempted  Freedom's  fon  to  ihare 
Thefe  perils  ;  fearching  with  an  angel's  care 
Each  cell  of  dire  difeafe,  each  cavern  of  deC^ 
pair  ?  ' 


•  I  am  credibly  infortned  that  fever  al  Princes,  or  at 
Jeajl  perfons  in  authority ^  regue/Ied  Mr.  Howard  not 
to  publiJJi  a  minute  account  of  fome  prif(jns,  which  re, 
fi^ded  difgrace  on  their  government. 


(      IS2      ) 

No  monarch's  word,  nor  lucre's  luft, 
Nor  vain  ambition's  reftlefs  fire. 
Nor  ample  power,  that  facred  tnifl 
His  life-difFufing  toils  infpire  : 
Rous'd  by  no  voice,  iave  that  whole  cries 
Internal  bid  the  foul  arife 
From  joys,  that  only  feem  to  blefs. 
From  low  purfuits,  which  little  minds  polTefs, 
To  Nature's  nobleft  aim,  the  fuccour  of  Dif- 
trefs  I 

Taught  by  that  God,  in  Mercy's  robe. 
Who  his  caslcftial  throne  refigned, 
I'o  free  the  prifon  of  the  globe 
From  vice,  th'  opprefTor  of  the  mind 
For  thee,  of  mifery's  rights  bereft. 
For  thee,  Captivity!  he  left 
Inviting  eafe,  who,  in  her  bower. 
Bade  him  with  fmiles  enjoy  the  goldeii  hour, 
While  Fortune  deck'd  his  board  withpleafure's 
feftive  flower. 

While  to  thy  virtue's  utmoft  fcope 
I  boldly  ftrive  my  aim  to  raife 
As  high  as  mortal  hand  may  hope 
To  Dioot  the  glittering  (haft  of  praife  ; 
Say  !  Howard,  fay  !  what  may  the  Mufc; 
Whofe  melting  eyfe  thy  merit  views, 


(     i83     ) 

What  guerdon  may  her  love  defign  ? 

what  may  fl>e  alii   for   thee,  from  power  Di- 
t  vine, 

I     Above   the  ricii  rewards   which    are    already 
thine  ? 

Sweet  is  the  joy  when  Science  flings 
Her  light  on  philolbphic  thought  ; 
When  genius,  with  keen  ardor,  fprlngs 
Toclafp  the  lovely  truth  he  fought : 
Sweet  is  the  joy,  when  rapture's iiiQ 
Flows  from  the  fpirit  of  the  lyre  ; 
When  Liberty  and  Virtue  roll 
Spring-tides  of  fancy  o'er  the  poet's  foul. 
That  waft  his  flying  bark  tliro'  leas  above  the 
pole. 

Sweet  the  delight,  when  the  gall'd  heart 
Feels  confolation's  lenient  hand 
Bind  up  the  wound  from  fortune's  dart 
With  friendlliip's  life-fupporting  band  I 
And  fweeter  ftill,  and  far  above 
Thefe  fainter  joys,  when  pureil  love 
The  foul  his  willing  captive  keeps ! 
When  he  in  blifs  the  melting  fpirit  deeps, 
Who  drops  delicious  tears,  and  wonders    that 
M.  he  weeps ! 


(     1«4    ) 

But  not  the  brighteft  joy,  which  arts, 
In  floods  of  mental  light,  bcftow  ; 
Nor  what  firm  friendfhip's  zeal  imparts, 
Bltft  antidote  of  bittereft  woe  1 
Nor  thofe  that  love's  fweet  hours  difpcnfe, 
Can  equal  the  ecftatic  fenfe, 
When,  fwelling  to  a  fond  exccfs. 
The  grateful  praifes  of  relievM  diftrefs. 
Re- echoed  thro'  the  heart,  the  foul  of  bounty 
blcfs. 

Thefe  tranfports,  in  no  common  ftate. 
Supremely  pure,  fublimely  ftrong,  ' 
Above  the  reach  of  envious  fate, 
Bleft  Howard  !  thefe  to  thee  belong  : 
While  years  encreafing  o'er  thee  roll. 
Long  may  this  funfhine  of  the  foul 
New  vigor  to  thy  frame  convey  ! 
Its  radiance  thro'  thy  noon  of  life  difplay. 
And  with  fereneft  light  adorn  thy  clofmg  day  l 

And  when  the  power,  who  joys  to  fave. 
Proclaims  the  guilt  of  earth  forgiven  ; 
And  calls  the  prifoners  of  the  grave 
To  all  the  liberty  of  Heaven  ; 


In  that%ight  day,  whofe  wonders  blind 
The  eye  of  the  afloniih'd  mind  ; 
When  life's  glad  angel  {hail  refunie   " 
His  ancient  fwa/^ji^announce  to  death  his  doom, 
And  from  exiftence-iijive  that  tyrant    of  the 
tomb  : 

In  that  blefthour,  when  Seraphs  fing 
The  triumphs  gain'd  in  human  ftrife; 
And  to  their  new  alTociates  bring 
The  wreaths  of  everlafting  life  : 
May'ft  thou,  in  Glory's  hallow'd  blaze, 
Approadi  #}i€L'et|^al  Fount  of  Praife, 
Witii  thofe  who  lead  the  angelic  van, 
Thofe  pure   adherents  to  their  Saviour^s  plan. 
Who  liv'd  but  to  relieve  the  Miferies  of  Man. 


q:* 


SUBSCRIBERS'  NAMES. 


REV.  JAMES  ABERCROMBIE,  A.  M.  Second 
Afliftant  Miniftcr  of  Chrifl:  Church  and  St, 
Peter's  Philadelphia, 
Thomas  Arraftrong,  Efquire, 

Mr. Argyle, 

John  Aikin, 

Robert  Aiken, 

A.  Argote, 

Thomas  Allen,  7  copies. 

James  Akin, 
ohn  W.  Allen, 
jfhomas  B.  Adams, 
William  Annefley, 

B. 

Mr.  Alexander  Brodie, 

John  Bioren, 

Jofeph  Bringhurft,  junior,  ^  copies^ 

Elijah  Brown, 

David  de  Bartholt, 

George  Barclay, 

Thomas  Briftoll, 
Rev.  Jofeph   J.  G.   Besd,  KcdoT  of  th«  EpifcopaJ 

Church  at  Baltimore, 
Mr.  James  Butler, 

William  Brookes, 

James  Bogert,  junioTi 

Seth  B'owen, 


(     i88    ) 

Mr.  Jofepli  Boggs,  24  copies, 
Hugh  Bigham, 

C. 

Mr.  John  Chriilopher, 
Ephraim  Conrad, 
James  Carfoii,  S.  M. 
John  Curtis, 
John  Church,  junior, 
John  Claypoole, 
William  Clark, 
Charles  Crawford, 
Mathew  Carey,  6  copies, 
James  C.  Copper, 
William  Cook, 
Henry  Cooper, 
Samuel  Carver, 
John  Cook, 
Edward  Cutbulh,  M.  D. 
Mr.  Hugh  Cochran, 
C.  Campbell, 

James  B.  Cooper,  10  copies, 
Rev.  Nicholas  Collin,  Redor  of  the  Swediili  Church- 
Philadelphia, 
Mr.  John  Chapman, 

James  Cox,  Drawing  Mafler, 

Samuel  Cochran, 

John  Co-nnelly, 

Archibald  Crary, 

Andrew  Charles,  Charlefton,  S,  C. 

Archibald  C.  Craig. 

D 
Mr.  Thomas  Dobfon,  r^o  Copies, 

.  Dandridge, 

Peter  DenhaiB, 
Anthony  J.  Dugan, 
Rev.  John  Dickens,   10  copies^ 
Mr.  George  Dullield,  junior, 
James  Darrach, 
D.  F,  Donnant, 


(     i89    ) 

?•  Silas  Dlnfmorc, 

Michael  Duffey, 

Francis  Donnelly, 

William  T.  Donaldfon, 

Edward  Do'ivers, 

John  Dowers, 

Benjamin  Dutfield,  M.  D. 
Mr.  Patrick  Dickfon, 
Rev.  Jacob  Duche, 
Mr.  Elias  Dawfon, 

Jofliua  Dawfon, 
Mrs.  Margaret  Dick, 
Mr.  John  Dor  fey , 

William  Doughty,  two  copies. 

Thomas  Dungan, 

E 

Mr.  Cadwallader  Evans, 

Cadwallader  Evans,  junior, 
Thomas  Enlley, 
Oliver  Evans, 
John  Ely, 
Eraftus  Edwards, 

F 

Walter  Franklin,  Attorney  at  Law, 
Mr.  Richard  FolweW, 

M.  Fennell, 

John  Fifk, 
Rev.  Thomas  Fleefon, 
Mr.  Thomas  Fitzpatrick, 

Ebenezer  Fergufon, 

Patrick  Ferrall, 

Edward  Fox, 

John  Fifs, 

Jfaac  Fitzrandolph, 

S.  Field, 

William  Finley, 

Lott  Fithian, 

John  Fithian, 


(     190     ) 

G 

Rev.  William  Glendlnning, 
Mr.  John  Gibfon, 

John  Gill, 

David  Graham, 

William   Gazzam, 

R.  Gazzam, 

Francis  Grice, 
Mils  Alary  A.  Guerin; 
Mr.  William  P.  Gardiner^ 

James  M'Glathery, 

John  j\i'Garvey, 

John  Grant, 

Andrew  Graydan> 

W.  S.  Gravfon, 

D.  Griifith', 

John  Grifiom, 

William  Garrett^ 

Frederick  Gcbler/''*- 

H 
Rev.  Wiliam  Hendle,  fen.  D  .D, 
Mr.  Matthew  Hal$, 
Edmund  Hogan, 
Wilfon  Hunt, 
William  Hndfon^ 
Selby  Hickfna'ji, 
Duke  Ilarrifon,    . 
Thomas  Hulton, 
James  Hardie, 
David  Hall,  2  copies, 
George  C.  Hamilton, 

acob  Hoffman, 

ofeph  Harding, 

ohn  Hindman, 
Alexander  Howard^ 
John  Hall,  ^' 

William  Hubbard, 
John  Hand, 
William  Hogg, 


(     '91    ) 

Lieut.  David  Hale, 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Hall, 
Mr.  John  H.  Hawkins, 

John  Heatoii, 

James  Hamilton, 

Jofeph  Hamilton, 

Patrick  Hamilton , 

John  Henviie, 

.A Juan  Hunn, 

Jofiah  Hewes, 

Ifaac  Harris, 

Thomas  Harris, 

John  Howard, 

Samuel  Hyndman. 

i&j. 

Mr.  Richard  Johnfon, 

Thomas  C.  James,  M.  p« 

Thomas  Jones, 

Richard  Jollilf, 
Mrs.  S.  James, 
Mr.  John  Jones, 

J.  H.  Jackfon, 

William  James, 

Robert  Jones, 

William  Innes, 

AVilliam  Jones, 

Benjamin  Johnfon,  lOO  copies, 

Pvlordecai  Jones, 

Samuel  Jones,  A.  B. 
Nathan  Jarvis, 

Jofeph  Johnfon, 

Benjamin  January. 

K. 

Mr.  James  Kennedy,  6  copies, 
David  Kimpton,* 
Emmor  Kimber, 

Daniel  E.  King,  ^ 

Michael  Kennedy, 


C    i9i     ) 

Mr.  Thomas  R.  Kennedy, 

John  R.  KoUock, 
Mrs.  Catharine  Keappock, 
Mr.  Samuel  Keith, 
Ezeklel  King, 
J.  Kirkbridge, 
Benjamin  KiiTman. 

L. 
Mr.  P«terLeo,    2  copies, 

George  C.  L«acy   2  copies 
Samuel  Levis,  jun. 
1^}athaniel  Lee, 
John  L.  Lewis, 
William  Letchworth, 
Mordecai  Lewis,    — 
John  Lort, 
Caleb  Lownci, 

J.  Lippincott,   •  » 
ohn  Langdon, 

William  Leedom, 

William  Lewis, 

Michael  Lewis, 

ThoHias  Lawrence. 

M. 
Rev.  Samuel  Magaw,  D.  D.  and  Redor  of  St.  Paul's 

Church,  Philadelphia, 
Mr.  William  Mc'Kinzie, 

James  Magoffin, 

James  Milnor,  Attorney  at  Law. 

Solomon  Marks, 

Mc'Kenzie  &  Co.  7  copies, 

John  jA'iatthews, 
MifsMc'Cienachan, 
Mr.  George  Middleton, 

John  Mc'KenfiC, 

T.  Meafe,  i> 

J.  M.  Ray, 

W.  Mathews, 

William  Mc^llhenney, 


(     193     ) 

Mr.  WllUam  Meredith, 
Samuel  Moore, 
Samuel  Miimick, 
Samuel  Milner, 
]acob  Malon, 

Chrjrtopher  Marlhall;  Minv, 
George  Mofer, 
John  Mc'Kenfie, 
Joftph  Marlell, 
Maniell  Mills, 
Cadwallader  Morris, 
Tolm  Mc'  Mailers, 
Timothy  Mounti'ord, 
Sa:nuel  Miley, 

N. 
Mr.  Heath  Xorbury, 

Richard  North, 

Frederick  Newman, 

Thomas  Noble, 

Michael  Nowiie, 

William  Norcrofs, 

O, 
Mr.  JeiTe  Oat, 

f.  Oliver. 

P. 
Rev.    Jofeph  Pilmore,    Redor    of   Chrifl-Qiurcli, 

New-York. 
Mr.  \Villiam  T.  Palmer, 

joleph  Pfeilfer,  M.  D. 

George  Pfeiffer,  M.  D. 

William  Prichett, 

Thomas  Paflmore, 

Ifaac  Price, 

Benjamin  Price, 

Thomas  W.  Payor,  eft|r, 

Samuel  Pa/Tey, 

Norton  Pryor  jun, 

jj.  PoUZols, 


.nir.  Nathaniel  W.  Price,  2  c-o.^ej, 

Thomas  Perrv. 

'  R. 

Csfar  Rodney,  TJq,  Attorney  at  Lav, 
Mr.  John  Reynolds, 

Thomas  Reynolds^ 

Samuel  Rhodes, 

John  Ruan» 

jarnes  Rnan, 
Herijainin  Rulli,   M.  D.   Profefibr  of  the  I'-jfciitiitci, 

and  of  Clinical  Medicine^,,  in  the  Univerilty  01 

I'ennfylvania. 
IVJr.  Samuel  Richards,  jun. 

Tames  Fvolph, 

Edward  RufTel, 

Nathaniel  Richard:, 

JofephReed, 

Robert  Rockhill, 

Abraham  Roberts, 
MefiVs.  Hc^cP.  R;-.  ......... 

Major  John  Stagg,  juii,   Qiitf   Clerk  in   the  ¥.>-• 

Otfice.  .  .-'•     5 

Mr,  J-ohn  Sheppard,  10  copieS;^ 

Hcary  Sweitzer» 

Samuel  S.  Smith, 

H.  G.  Shaw, 

W.  Spotfwood, 

Samuel  Stoops,  ' 

Thomas  Stephens,  'C  copies,  - 

J.  Strawbridge, 

Thomas  Smith, 

John  Smilie  Adams,. 

John  Snowden, 

John  Shaw, 

James  Sawer, 

Charles  Sbocuu^-.tr^ 

Sainiicl  Spalding, 


1^,1  r/ Laurence  Sink, 

y.-imea  Stokes, 

Richard  Sno\vd.:n, 

Hubert  Siicwcil, 

Matthew  Smith, 
Mrs,  Surmoln, 
.Mr.  Samrifl  H.  Smith, 

Robert  Smitlijjun, 

William  Suowden^ 

Kllilia  Swinney, 

Jereixiiah  Secley^ 
ohn.  Smith, 

T 
Rev.  Jofeph  Turner,  Redor  of  the  Epifpocal  Churcfc- 

es  at  Marcus-Kookand  Chefter^ 
Tvlr.  Daniel  Trotter, 

Thomas  ThiiFj, 

John  Topiift, 

John  Thomplbn, 

William  Tayio", 

J,  Ozier  Thompfon,  M.  D, 

Antiiony  Taylor, 

Thomas  W.  Tallman,  Attorney  at  Lav/, 

William  Thackara   I'en, 

John  Thompfon, 

John  TownCend, 

James  Thackara, 

William  Todd, 

Richard  Tittermary^ 
Mrs,  Sarah  Turner, 

V  &  U.  • 
Mr.  R.  J.  Vanden  Broek,  Mailer  of  Howard  Lodge, 

in  behalf  or  fald  Lodge,  Jfoo  copies, 

•Peter  Van  Pelt,  Dentift, 

John  Vallsnce, 

Stephen  C,  Ufiick. 


C    19^    ) 

w. 

Elglit  Pvev.  AVlllhiTi   Wliite,   D.  D.  B^liop  of  tht 

Proteriant  t^pifcopal  Church,  Peuniylva.nia, 
Mr.  William  W.Woodward, 

Joieph  Williams, 

Chriflian  WiJtberger,  jeweller, 
JMaftcr  John  Woodfidcs,  jun, 
Mr.  Thomas  V/atern:an^ 

John  Wil Ton, 
Mifs  Eleanor  Willbn, 
Mr.  Jofeph  Weight, 
MifsKiUy  Wiflar, 
I^Ir.  William  Wi^glefvrorth., 

John  Wharton,  jun. 

Henry  L.  Wad  dell, 

John  Willis, 

Godfrey  Wc-lfer, 

Charles  Wheeler,  f-H.  D. 

Thomas  Wetherill 

Benjamin  Wynkcop, 

|ohn  Woods 

James  Watters, 

Matthew  Whitehead, 

Ifaac  Warner, 

Francis  Wright, 

Thomas  W^ alien, 

C.  R.  &  G.  Webfler,  6  copies. 
Rev.  Archibald  Walker, 

Y. 
Mr.  William  Young, 

James  Young. 


SUBSCRIPTION  PAPEPvS  Tor  this 
vork,  being  in  poiTellion  of  gentlemen  refidin^  in  va- 
rious and  diflant  parts  of  the  United  States  j  incuy 
refpedable  names,  tfierefore,  cannot  be  inferted 
without  delaying  the  publication  to  an  immoderate 
length  of  time.. 


T'le  few  fncccfic'ing  came  to  hand  tco  U 
^ugj  in  their  alpliubeiical  ordjj' — 


Robert  Gillefpe, 
Geo.  W.  Field, 
Peter  Fritz, 
Jacob  Earnefl;. 


LATELY  PUBLISHED, 

IN  ONE  HANDSOME  VOLUME,  ijmo. 
[pace  4s.  8d.] 

AND  FOPv  SALE  BY 

JOHN  OE.MROD, 

At    Fran-klin's     Head,     2>fo.     41,     CiitsNUT-Si  keet, 
AN  ESSAY  ON  THE  NATURAL 

EQUALITY  OF  MEN, 

On  the  Rights  that  result  from  it,  and  on  the   Du- 
ties WHICH  IT  IMPOSES. 

To  wliich  a  MEDAL  -was  adjudged  by  the  Teylerian 
SoclL'i  Y,  at  ILuirl^n:. 

CORRECTED  AND  ENLARGED. 
By  WILLI  AM  LAWRENCE  BROWN,  D.  Z>. 

Profeiror  of  Moral  Phllorophy,  the  La\v  of  Nature, 
and  of  EccleHaftical  Hilliory  j  and  Miniiler  of 
txhe  Englifli  Church  at  Utrecht. 


T' 


'HE  grand  principle  of  Equality,   if  rightly 

undcritood,    is   the    only   ball's,   on    which 

tiniverfal  Juftice,  facrcd  Order,  and  perfec't  Freedom,  can 
be  firnnly  built,  and  penuanendy  reciued.  The  view  of 
it  exhibited  in  this  Efiay,  at  the  fame  time  that  it  repref- 
fes  the  infolence  of  Office,  the  tyranny  df  Pride,  and  the 
outrages  of  OppreiTioa  ;  confirms,  in  the  mofi:  forcible 
manner,  the  neceflity  of  Subordination,  and  the  jult  de- 
mands of  lawful  Auihority.  So  far,  indeed,  from  ioofcn- 
ing  the  bands  of  Society,  that  it  maiatains  inviolate,  eve- 
ry natural  and  every  civil  Diftinction,  dra\t»sraorc  clofely 
every  focial  tie,  unites  in  one  harmonious  and  juflly 
proportioned  Sy{lem,and  brings  Men  together  on  the  even 
ground  of  the  inherent  Rights  of  human  Mature,  of  reci- 
procal Obligation,  ajid  of  a  common  relatioc  to  tiie  com- 
munity. 


JOHN  ORMROD 

HAS  like:vise  for  sjle, 

AN  ELEGANT  COLLECTION  OF  VALUABLE 

BOOKS, 

AxMONG  WHICH  ARE  THE  FOLLOWIls'G  : 


BELL'S  Britilli  Poets  complete  from   Chau- 
cer to  Churchill  ornamenied  with  elegant 
engravings  and  Portraits.  109  vols. 

Doddridge's  Famii}'  Exj)oritor  in  6  vols. 

Molheim's  Ecclefiaftical  Kiftory   6  vols. 

Hume's  En^-land  with  Siuollet's  continuaii- 
on,  13  vols. 

AbbeRaynal's  Hili:ory  of  the  Enft  and  Weil: 
Indies  in  8  vols. 

Goluf  ]iith's  Hiilory  of  England,  3  voli. 

StackhoQlc's  Body  of  Divinity,  3  vols. 

The  Senator  or  Parliamentary  Chronicle 
containing  a  Weekly  Regifter  of  the  Proceed- 
ings and  Debates  of  the  Houfe  of  Lords  and 
Commons,  7  Vols. 

Kent's  Admirals  or  Memoirs  of  Illuftrious 
Seamen,  5  vols. 

Hiilory  of  Modern  Europe  with  an  account 
of  the  decline  and  fall  of  the  Roman  Empire, 
5  vols. 

Memoirs  of  the  Kings  of  Great-Britain,  of 
the  h^ufe  of  Brunfwic — Lunenberg.  By 
Beifiiam,  2  vols. 


B     O     O     K     S, 

Machiavel's  works  tranflated  from  the  origi- 
nals, illuftrated  with  notes  and  feverai  new 
\.plans  on  the  Art  of  war,  4  vols. 

Plo'.vden'S  BritiOi  Empire. 

Cowper^s  Homer«  2  vols. 

Ditto         Poems,  2  vols. 

Dodfiey^s  Poem^s,  6  vok» 

Original  Poems  by  feverai  hands,  2  vols. 

Impartial  Hiflory  of  the  French  ,B.evoiurion 
m  2  vols. 

P.abaut's  Hifcory  of  the  .Revolution  in 
.France. 

HoIwelPs  Mythological^  Etymological;  and 
Hirtorical  Diclionaryo 

Kair^ne's  Sketches  of  the  Hiftory  of  Man, 
4  vol  So 

Hume\s  EfTays,  Moral;  Political  and  Litera- 
ry; 2  vols. 

The  Lufiad;  an  Epic  Poem  in  2  vols. 

Enfield's  Hitlory  of  Philofophy  from  the 
earlieft  times  to  the  prefent  century,  2vols. 

Martin-s  New  Syftem  of  Philofophy,  3  vols. 

Furgufon's  Leftures= 

Ditco  ■  Aftronomyo 

Henry's  Hifiory  of.  England  from  the'firft 
invafion  of  it  by  the  Romans  under  Julias  C.ct;« 
far,  vs^ritten  on  a  New  plan  in  5  vols. 

Smith's  Wealth  of  Nations;  2  voli. 

Sketches  of  the  Hindoos;  2  vols* 

EfTay  on  Happinefs,  2  vols^ 

Lempriere's  Claflical  Diff'^'^""''" 

Stern'r  Works,  8  vols. 

Drydon\s  Virgil,  4  vob^  - 


Gil  Bias,  4  vols. 

Spedator^  8  vols. 

HeriHan  of  Unna,  a  feries  of  Adventures,  of 
inc.  Fifteenth  Century,  wricten  by  Profeilor 
Kramer,  in  3  vols. 

Thompfon's  Works,  4  vols. 

Hawkefworth's  Voyages,  4  voIs» 

Scabury's  Difcoui-fes,  2  vols. 

New  Annual  Regjiler, 

Travels  throiighXIyprus,  Syria  and  P^lef- 
tine,  by  the  Abbe  Marite,  2  vols. 

Benyowiky's  Travels  and  Memoirs  i  vols* 

Adams  on  Electricity, 

Davidfon's  Virgil,  2  vols. 
'    Morfe's  Geography,  2  vols  ' 

Burke  on  the  Sublime, 

Mrs.  Piozzi  Britifli  Synonomy,  2  vols* 

Annual  Regifter, 

Perk's  Geography, 

Gazetteer  ot  the  Netherlands, 

Blfnop  Newton's  Works.  6    o!s . 

Pocket  Peerage,  &c.  &<: 


4^ 


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